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Severe weather has tragically claimed the lives of at least three individuals in the past 24 hours and caused extensive property damage across several Southern states. This weather pattern is expected to persist, with forecasters warning of continued threats of thunderstorms, flash flooding, and possible tornadoes through Thursday and into Friday.
As of 8 a.m. ET on Thursday, over 200,000 customers in Tennessee, the Carolinas, and Georgia were without power. Wednesday witnessed more than 360 storm reports, marking the fifth day this year with over 100 tornado reports.
In Columbia, Tennessee, one fatality was confirmed in a suspected tornado on Wednesday. In Claiborne County, Bryce Edward Hentnick, 22, tragically lost his life when a tree fell onto his car. Another tragic incident occurred in Gaston County, North Carolina, where a tree fell on a car, trapping two individuals. This event prompted a state of emergency declaration in Gaston County, with nearly 45% of energy customers experiencing power outages.
Additionally, a 9-year-old boy, the son of Rutherford County's director of schools, sustained critical injuries after falling into a storm drain while attempting to retrieve a lost shoe.
Tornado warnings remained in effect for much of Tennessee, parts of Georgia, and South Carolina on Thursday. Approximately 64 million people are situated in a severe risk zone, spanning from Texas to Georgia and extending as far north as Maryland. Flood watches were issued for 8 million people across Kentucky and Tennessee.
The severe weather is forecasted to persist, bringing heavy rain, severe thunderstorms, and potential tornadoes to eastern Texas, Louisiana, central Mississippi, southern Alabama, and southern Georgia. The National Weather Service has cautioned about the possibility of winds reaching up to 75 mph or more, along with hail measuring over 2 inches in diameter.
While the risk of severe weather is expected to diminish from Friday onward, southeast Georgia and northern Florida could still experience gusty winds and brief storm spin-ups.