Multiple Twisters Ravage Mississippi as Forecasters Warn of More Extreme Weather
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Over the last several weeks millions of Americans have remained under severe weather advisories as officials warned that large parts of the US would be subjected to heavy rains, hail, tornadoes and a scorching heat wave. Meteorologists earlier stated the weather patterns were the result of El Nino conditions.
At least one person is dead after multiple tornadoes swept through Mississippi overnight, and another 19 people were injured by the extreme weather, officials in Jasper County announced on Monday.
The city of Bay Springs and the rural town of Louin took on the majority of the reported tornado’s impact, leaving structural damage and injuries in its wake after the tornado touched down around 11:30 p.m. on Sunday, the National Weather Service (NWS) in Jackson said.
1 dead and 18 injuries in an EF3 tornado near Louin in Jasper County late last evening. pic.twitter.com/6BUSskkWbd
— David Hartman (@DHartman_WAPT) June 19, 2023
It was not a good night. I am blessed, not everyone in Louin was as fortunate.😢 https://t.co/z79loBo1xD
— ChristinaBistes (@PlainDeplorable) June 19, 2023
“We had some mobile homes totally destroyed. Roofs off houses,” said Randy Johnson, a Jasper County sheriff. “You know, just what you’d expect out of a strong tornado.”
Thousands of customers in the southern US were without power by 4:17 p.m. EDT, including 192,636 in Oklahoma, 77,989 in Texas, 65,569 in Louisiana, 36,288 in Mississippi, and 22,927 in Arkansas, according to PowerOutage.us.
Jasper Co. residents in need of a place to stay, eat, cool off, or charge phones can do so at the Bay Springs Community Center (124 Edmund King Rd.). Open 24/7, put on by @RedCross. #mswx #SevereWeather @WLBT pic.twitter.com/MY4WCGgHgx
— Brendan Hall (@HallReports) June 19, 2023
Eric Carpenter, a meteorologist with the NWS in Jackson, said the timing of the tornadoes, as well as the persistent thunder, hail, and high temperatures were “a very unusual situation.”
“This is a whole different game here,” Carpenter said. “What we would typically see in March and April, we’re seeing in June.”
And the threat of severe weather continues to linger for millions of people in the US southeast, with excessive heat warnings and heat advisories now in effect in Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi, the NWS said. Those heat warnings will continue for several days, according to one report, with temperatures climbing to triple digits with heat index values in some areas close to 120 degrees Fahrenheit.
The weather service adds that the threat of tornadoes continues to linger for the region as of Monday.
A blistering heat wave will persist all this week in Texas, Louisiana, and parts of the Southern U.S. Thunderstorms, some severe, and heavy rainfall are possible the next few days across the Southeast. Critical fire weather conditions persist in the Southwest. pic.twitter.com/z7XEup0zD0
— National Weather Service (@NWS) June 19, 2023
“High temperatures in the 100s and lows in the upper 70s and 80s will support the continued Excessive Heat Warnings and Heat Advisories that have been in effect for much of central/southern Texas and Louisiana,” the weather service warned.
Showers and thunderstorms could also produce flooding and flash flooding in the mid-South area to the Gulf Coast, said the NWS.
“Temperatures will remain well below average across the West as an amplifying upper trough moves into the Great Plains. Very dry, warm and windy conditions will support a Critical Risk of Fires across Arizona and New Mexico through Tuesday,” the service added.
16 June 2023, 22:56 GMT
It was reported that the Texas city of Houston would be opening cooling centers from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. through Monday, as Louisiana’s Caddo Parish also opened cooling centers.
