Severe storms have wreaked havoc across the South and Midwest, resulting in at least one fatality, uprooting power lines and trees, and causing extensive damage to homes. Tornadoes were reported as multiple storm warnings were issued on Wednesday in Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, and Mississippi.
The National Weather Service linked the ferocious weather to a combination of daytime heating, unstable atmospheric conditions, and strong wind shear, further fueled by moisture flowing from the Gulf of Mexico. In southeast Missouri, one life was lost as a tornado emergency was declared, especially alarming as debris was reported to reach altitudes of 25,000 feet.
In the coming days, forecasters predict that the South and Midwest will face a substantial risk of flash flooding, with severe thunderstorms intensifying. The weather service warns of potentially “life-threatening flash flooding” through Saturday, with rainfall amounts exceeding a foot in some areas—an event classified as occurring “once in a generation.”
Over 90 million people are at risk for severe weather spanning from Texas to Minnesota and Maine. In Arkansas, the Division of Emergency Management reported damages across 22 counties, with at least four injuries recorded but no fatalities reported as of Wednesday evening.
Tornado activity has also been reported in Kentucky, with one recorded near Jeffersontown injuring four individuals, including one critically—the church that was hit by debris. In Indiana, a warehouse collapse led authorities to advise against traveling through Brownsburg, where strong winds overturned five semitrucks on Interstate 65.
The storms have led to significant power outages, affecting nearly 90,000 customers across several states including Arkansas, Mississippi, Missouri, and Kentucky. The Storm Prediction Center indicated that a rare “high-risk” zone includes parts of west Tennessee, northeast Arkansas, and western Kentucky.
As a line of severe thunderstorms continues to develop, heavy rain is expected to persist through the weekend, particularly in the lower Mississippi Valley and Ohio Valley. Emergency officials are closely monitoring the situation as communities brace for potentially destructive weather conditions.
In Michigan, recovery efforts from a recent ice storm continue, with over 122,000 customers still deprived of power. The Mackinac Bridge has been temporarily closed due to ice hazards, marking the third consecutive day of interruptions.
