A storm system crossing the U.S. on Friday caused deadly crashes, wildfires, and tornadoes in several central states, prompting evacuations. In Missouri and Arkansas, over a dozen tornadoes touched down, causing damage to homes and vehicles. The National Weather Service confirmed two tornadoes heading towards St. Louis late Friday night. Nearly 150 fires were reported in Oklahoma due to dusty winds, toppling tractor-trailers. The storm system, affecting over 100 million people, brought winds up to 80 mph from Canada to Texas.
As the severe weather continued into the weekend, Mississippi and Alabama faced a high risk of tornadoes and damaging winds. Experts note the large size and intensity of this weather system is unique, producing substantial impacts over a vast area. Tornadoes were observed in Missouri and thunderstorms brought hail and strong winds to many areas. A state of emergency was declared in Alabama, with a high risk of a tornado outbreak Saturday. Wildfires in the Southern Plains threatened to spread rapidly due to dry conditions and strong winds. Power outages affected over 315,000 homes and businesses. The storm also brought blizzard conditions to the Northern Plains, affecting travel in the Rockies and causing up to 3 feet of snow in the Sierra Nevada.
Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe declared a state of emergency, urging residents to monitor weather forecasts and official warnings. The National Weather Service warned of dry thunderstorms in several states, posing an additional risk of fires due to lightning with minimal rainfall.
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