More than 25 million people will be at risk of strong tornadoes that could stay on the ground for long distances, as well as flooding rains and hail the size of tennis balls.
JACKSON, Miss. — Forecasters warned of the potential for strong tornadoes that could stay on the ground for long distances in parts of the South on Tuesday, as well as flooding rains and hail the size of tennis balls.
More than 25 million people could be at risk as the storm system moves from east Texas to Indiana and Georgia. The national Storm Prediction Center said in itsthat affected cities could include New Orleans; Memphis and Nashville in Tennessee; and Birmingham, Alabama. Multiple tornado warnings were issued in the afternoon in Louisiana and Mississippi based on radar indications that storms were capable of producing a tornado. There were no reports of any damage or injuries. It’s rare that federal forecasters warn of major tornadoes with the potential for carving damages across long distances, but they did so in Tuesday’s forecasts. Tornado watches covering much of Louisiana and Mississippi were announced due to “a particularly dangerous situation,” the National Weather Service said. “Supercells are expected to develop this afternoon and track northeastward across much of northeast Louisiana and central Mississippi,” the Weather Service said. “Parameters appear favorable for strong and long-tracked tornadoes this afternoon and early evening.” The most intense wave of the storm was projected to move through Mississippi between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m., said Sarah Sickles, a forecaster with the National Weather Service in Jackson. “Multiple rounds of severe thunderstorms — some capable of long-tracked tornadoes with EF3+ damage potential — will be possible this afternoon into tonight over parts of the lower Mississippi Valley region and Mid-South,” the Norman, Oklahoma-based Storm Prediction Center said. Tornadoes with an EF3 rating on the Enhanced Fujita tornado scale can produce wind gusts of up to 165 mph .All remaining classes at Mississippi State University’s main campus in Starkville switched to remote instruction on Tuesday due to the weather, the university announced. A Mississippi State women’s basketball game against the University of Louisiana-Monroe will still be played on campus, but the venue will be closed to spectators. Alcorn State University and the University of Southern Mississippi Hattiesburg also planned to close early.Some of Mississippi's public school systems also decided to close early. The 3,500-student Canton Public School District said it was dismissing students at noon, cancelled after-school activities and rescheduled a basketball game. Another large system outside Jackson, Madison County Schools, also planned early closures. Flood watches were issued for parts of southeast Mississippi and southwest Alabama, where 3 to 5 inches of rain could lead to flash flooding, the National Weather Service said. The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency urged residents to have multiple ways of receiving weather alerts and know in advance where to go to stay safe. The agency also urged people to take pictures of their property. “These photos can be used for insurance purposes and/or possible assistance if your home is damaged in the storm,” the agencyJill Bleed in Little Rock, Arkansas; Michael Goldberg in Jackson, Mississippi; and Sara Cline in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, contributed to this report.
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