At least 18 people have died following a tornado outbreak and severe weather stretching from the Heartland to the East Coast of the United States. According to ABC News, nine fatalities were confirmed in Kentucky, seven in Missouri, and two in Virginia as storms battered communities with destructive winds, hailstorms, and heavy rain.
Since Friday, there have been over 500 reports of severe weather spanning from Texas to New Jersey, while more than 600,000 residents remain without power, mainly across Michigan and Tennessee.
Remnant storms from Friday’s outbreak continued into Saturday morning, with at least 26 tornadoes reported across Kentucky, Indiana, Missouri, Illinois, and New Jersey, causing widespread storm damage and destruction.
In Barlow, Kentucky, and near Sullivan, Indiana, softball-sized hail was reported, with even larger hailstones, exceeding tennis-ball size, seen from Texas to Ohio.
In total, nearly 15 states have reported storm damage from hail, winds, and tornadoes, stretching from Missouri to Michigan and out to New Jersey, as the severe weather system tracks through the East-Central U.S., from Arkansas to Virginia.
Meanwhile, severe thunderstorm watches remain in effect for portions of southeastern Arkansas, north-central Alabama, and central Mississippi until 10 a.m. CT. Another watch covers northern South Carolina, west-central North Carolina, and southern Virginia until 12 p.m. ET.
Already, quarter-size hail, downed trees, and roof damage have been reported in these regions, with the storms expected to persist into late Saturday morning.
In the Northeast, the highest threat area includes upstate New York, western Massachusetts, most of Vermont, and western New Hampshire, with primary risks being damaging winds, large hail, and the possibility of isolated tornadoes. Key cities at risk include Burlington, Vermont; Springfield, Massachusetts; and Albany, New York.
For the South-Central Plains, the focus is on central Texas, including Dallas and Arlington. A broader but slightly lower risk also exists across Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Kansas, impacting cities such as Oklahoma City, Little Rock, Arkansas, and Wichita, Kansas.
