Tornadoes Are More Powerful Than We Realize

The risk for severe thunderstorms will move into the Southeast Saturday, after large hail, damaging wind gusts and tornadoes were reported from Texas to Mississippi Friday into early Saturday.

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(MORE: Tornado Central)

Here is what has happened this evening, followed by the current forecast for the rest of the event: 

Happening Now

A line of strong thunderstorms and heavy rain is moving from the northern Gulf Coast and into the Southeast as of midday Saturday.

Early Saturday multiple homes were damaged near Lutcher, Louisiana and near Boutte, Louisiana a carport was torn off of a home.

As of early Saturday, there have been five reports of tornadoes and numerous reports of damaging wind gusts. Hail up to three inches in diameter was reported near Celina, Texas.

(LATEST: Severe Impacts)

More information on reports of severe weather can be found below the forecast section.

Setup

A low pressure system will move across the Southeast Saturday. Behind this system is an expansive area of arctic air, which will surge into the South.

The edge of this cold air, or the cold front, will push southeastward across the southeastern states on Saturday. This will be the focus for scattered severe storms on Saturday. 

Ahead of this system, moisture is streaming in from the Gulf of Mexico at the surface on southerly winds.

In addition, southwesterly winds a few thousand feet above the surface will be supportive of gusty winds at the surface. 

Timing

Below is a closer look at what to expect through Saturday. 

Saturday

• Forecast: A broken line of strong to severe thunderstorms will move eastward through northern Florida, central and southern Georiga, coastal South Carolina and perhaps the southern coast of North Carolina during the day into the evening.
• Threats: The main threat will be damaging wind gusts, but a tornado or two are also possible.
• Cities: Tallahassee, Florida | Charleston, South Carolina | Savannah, Georgia

In addition to the severe weather, locally heavy rainfall is possible which could lead to some flash flooding.

Severe Weather Reports

A likely tornado touched down touched down just west of Coushatta, Louisiana, or 40 miles southeast of Shreveport, around 7:35 pm CDT, and the tornado may have been on the ground for 20 to 25 minutes. The tornado may have moved through the town of roughly 1,800 people. Radar indicated that this may have been a significant tornado, and a rare tornado emergency was issued for this storm. 

So far, widespread tree damage has been reported across Coushatta by law enforcement, but this is a developing story. 

An EF0 touched down northwest of Pelahatchie, Mississippi. Trees and powerlines were downed, according to the National Weather Service. 

A debris signature was spotted on radar near Ringgold, Louisana Friday evening, which is likely a sign that a tornado touched down in the area, but no damage has been reported. 

Farther east, a video shows an apparent tornado touching down near Tallulah, Louisiana Friday evening. 

Also in Louisiana, storms brought quarter to golf ball size hail, including these stones near Shreveport:

Severe thunderstorms brought quarter to teacup size hail to parts of the eastern Red River region of northern Texas late Friday afternoon into the early evening. 

Three-inch hail caused significant damage to vehicles in and around Celina, Texas, located 35 miles north of Dallas. 

These storms in the northern Dallas metro area did produce possible funnel clouds, but no tornado touchdown is known to have occurred. 

Another storm produced golf ball size hail near the North Texas Regional Airport near Pottsboro, Texas.  

Heavy rain across eastern Oklahoma has already brought some flooding to roadways there. Several roads in Okmulgee County, Oklahoma, located south of Tulsa, were closed Friday afternoon due to flooding.