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Tornado outbreak live updates: 36 dead in cross-country storm system

A new tornado watch was issued Sunday for parts of West Virginia, Ohio and PA.

Last Updated: March 16, 2025, 11:45 AM EDT

Millions of Americans across the country are on alert for a severe weather outbreak as violent, long-track tornadoes with damaging winds of up to 80 mph and large hail are expected across the Midwest and South with the cross-country storm moving east.

The same storm system delivered raging winds to the Plains states earlier, leading to wildfires and severe dust storms that left more than a dozen people dead in Kansas, Texas and Oklahoma.

Overall, at least 36 deaths have been recorded from the cross-country storm system.

Key Headlines

Here's how the news is developing.
Mar 15, 2025, 5:35 PM EDT

Arkansas governor speaks on devastation in the state

Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders addressed reporters Saturday, saying the devastation in Arkansas could take weeks and months to recover from.

Three people have died in the storm so far, she said.

PHOTO: Severe Weather
Dustin Halcom of the Cord Fire Department helps salvage what's left of the Walling Drug store Saturday, March 15, 2025 after it was destroyed by a severe storm that ripped through Cave City, Ark., late Friday night. (Staci Vandagriff/Arkansas Democrat-Gazette via AP)
Staci Vandagriff/AP

The governor encouraged residents to document impacts to their homes and said officials were working to get power running again in the affected areas.

She said it may take weeks and months to recover. The biggest challenges will be clearing the debris and getting food and water to people in need.

-Victoria Arancio

Mar 15, 2025, 4:59 PM EDT

Numerous significant, potentially long-track, tornadoes expected in coming hours

The Storm Prediction Center continues to warn that numerous significant tornadoes, some of which could be long-track and potentially violent, are expected in the coming hours. Cities like Jackson and Meridian, Mississippi, and Tuscaloosa and Birmingham, Alabama, remain in the rare, high risk.

PHOTO: greater risk graphic
ABC News

A level 4 "moderate risk" is in place from northeastern Louisiana to southern Tennessee, including cities such as New Orleans, Louisiana, and Montgomery, Alabama, up to Chattanooga, Tennessee. Widespread damaging wind gusts and several tornadoes are possible in this area with the threat lasting into the nighttime hours in some locations.

Strong, damaging wind gusts could also impact cities like Tallahassee, Florida; Atlanta, Georgia; and Nashville, Tennessee, where a level 3 "enhanced risk" been issued.

Destructive wind gusts up to 80 mph could produce widespread damage and trigger many power outages.

Mar 15, 2025, 4:33 PM EDT

Damage consistent with winds of 165 mph found in Arkansas, NWS says

Tornado damage consistent with winds of 165 mph have been recorded in Cave City, Arkansas, according to the National Weather Service's tornado survey team.

People work through the debris of the Cave City Auto Parts store on March 15, 2025, after a severe weather storm Friday night in Cave City, Ark.
Staci Vandagriff/Arkansas Democrat-Gazette via AP

"This is the very top of the EF3 scale," the NWS of Little Rock said in a post on X.

Additional surveys will continue over the coming days, the NWS said.

Mar 15, 2025, 4:23 PM EDT

Major tornado outbreak continues across the South

A line of severe thunderstorms continues to sweep across parts of the South and has already triggered multiple confirmed tornadoes in Mississippi, with damage over the past few hours.

There have been over 30 reported tornadoes across 6 states -- Missouri, Arkansas, Mississippi, Louisiana, Illinois and Indiana -- in the last 24 hours.

PHOTO: Justin Stievenart, right, uses his son, Jayson, 11, for balance while switching shoes outside of his destroyed home in Harmony Hills trailer park on March 15, 2025, in Poplar Bluff, Missouri.
Justin Stievenart, right, uses his son, Jayson, 11, for balance while switching shoes outside of his destroyed home in Harmony Hills trailer park on March 15, 2025, in Poplar Bluff, Missouri. Justin was alone at home when the tornado came through and only suffered bumps and bruises.
Brad Vest/Getty Images

A "particularly dangerous situation tornado watch" remains in effect across much of Mississippi and parts of eastern Louisiana until 6 p.m. CT. Another is in effect across much Alabama, until 8 p.m. CT, including cities such as Birmingham, Tuscaloosa, Huntsville and Montgomery.

Anthony Hudson, left, helps his sister, Kelsey Webb, right, search through her destroyed home inside of Harmony Hills trailer park on March 15, 2025, in Poplar Bluff, Missouri.
Brad Vest/Getty Images

A line of severe storms is sweeping east across the region bringing the threat of strong tornadoes, damaging wind gusts, and large hail. Any stronger, slow-moving storms bringing torrential rain could also trigger areas of dangerous flash flooding in the coming hours.

The most dangerous tornado threat is now through the evening hours. The strong storms will continue to sweep across eastern Alabama and into Georgia Saturday night.

-ABC News' Daniel Peck

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