A powerful storm system tore through the Midwest and Southern United States over the weekend, killing at least 42 people across eight states and unleashing more than 90 tornadoes, severe dust storms, and wildfires, officials said. Damage assessments continued Monday as communities from Texas to North Carolina grappled with the aftermath of one of the deadliest weather outbreaks of the year.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Storm Prediction Center, over 1,000 storm reports were filed since Friday, with Missouri reporting the highest number of fatalities at 12. Kansas followed closely, where eight people were killed after a dust storm triggered a massive pileup on Interstate 70 near the Colorado state line.
Other fatalities were reported in:
- Oklahoma: 4 deaths linked to high winds and wildfires
- Mississippi: 6 deaths
- Texas: 4 deaths
- Alabama: 3 deaths
- Arkansas: 3 deaths
- North Carolina: 2 deaths
The North Carolina fatalities included two children, aged 11 and 13, who died when a tree crashed into their family's trailer in Transylvania County early Sunday. "I am heartbroken to learn that two children were killed over the weekend due to severe weather. May their memories be a blessing," North Carolina Governor Josh Stein posted on X.
At least 92 tornadoes have been confirmed across 13 states. Among them were three EF-4 tornadoes, with winds peaking at 170-190 mph. Two EF-4 tornadoes struck Arkansas-one in Larkin and another in Diaz-while Tylertown, Mississippi, saw EF-4 damage after winds ripped a home from its foundation.
Alabama, Missouri, and Arkansas also experienced no fewer than 10 EF-3 tornadoes. In Jackson County, Arkansas, an EF-4 tornado with 190-mph winds was confirmed. Another EF-3 tornado devastated Dallas County, Alabama, where 15 members of Ralph and Rebecca Mims' family survived by sheltering underground. "If we had been in that house, we wouldn't be here today," Ralph Mims told NBC affiliate WVTM.
In Talladega County, Alabama, an EF-2 tornado hurled a school bus onto the roof of Winterboro High School.
Wildfires in Texas and Oklahoma killed at least four individuals, while in Kansas, thick dust reduced visibility and contributed to fatal crashes. Over 120,000 power outages were reported Monday, with significant outages in Pennsylvania, Missouri, and New York, according to PowerOutage.US.
The severe weather extended as far as the Northeast, where flood watches remained in effect across northern New York and New England. Up to three inches of rain combined with melting snow posed localized flood risks.
While the worst of the system has passed, winter storm watches and fire warnings blanketed parts of the western and central U.S. on Monday. Heavy snow and winds up to 60 mph swept the Sierra Nevada, with snow expected across the Plains and Michigan's Upper Peninsula into Tuesday.
Conditions in the nation's midsection remain tinder-dry, prompting fire alerts for 42 million people stretching from Denver to Oklahoma City and down to the Florida peninsula. NBC News' Al Roker noted that strong winds and dry air would maintain a critical fire risk through Tuesday.
