Severe weather: 'Life-threatening, catastrophic' flash floods and tornadoes hit Midwest and South

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee said today it’s possible that there are more deaths in his state from the tornadoes and other severe weather than the five that have been confirmed.

“We know that there are confirmations of deaths cross the state,” he said after he toured tornado damage. “But we also know that there are potential other deaths that have not been confirmed.”

“It’s too early to know what the confirmed loss of life is, but there are multiple deaths across the state,” he said.

The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency said said today there have been five weather-related deaths.

Matt Vandevander took cover in his bathtub when a tornado hit his home in Tennessee. He escaped the “crazy experience” with minor injuries. 

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer today met with first responders and northern Michigan residents who have been battered by a series of late season ice storms.

"With thousands of Michiganders still without heat, fuel, and power, we’re continuing our all-hands-on-deck approach to help folks impacted by the historic storms,” said Whitmer, a possible 2028 presidential candidate. "We’ll continue coordinating closely with local communities to clear roads, keep people safe, and help get the power back on. Michiganders are strong, and we’ll get through this together.”  

She briefed about rescue efforts in Emmet County, served food at a shelter in Otsego County and helped stock shelves at a relief center in Alpena County.

Six people were hurt in severe weather in Mississippi, and at least 60 homes have been damaged, the state Emergency Management Agency said as assessments continued today.

No deaths were reported in Mississippi, the Emergency Management Agency said.

Forty homes were damaged in Marshall County, which is in the northern part of the state across the border from Memphis, Tennessee, the agency said.

Homes were also damages in Tate, Tippah and Bolivar counties, the Emergency Management Agency said. Damage assessments were ongoing in Benton County.

As residents of Tennessee began to clean up damage from tornadoes that struck the area of Selmer and other parts of the state, Gov. Bill Lee warned that heavy rain will make matter worse.

“One thing that’s important to note is: It isn’t over. There’s continued heavy rain that’s expected, with potential tornadoes over the next day or two,” Lee told reporters after he toured the damage in Selmer.

The sheriff’s office in Humphreys County posted photos of overflowing rivers and floods and warned “turn around don’t drown!” in all capital letters.

The National Weather Service for Memphis said rainfall totals for areas north of Interstate 40 could approach 15 inches through Sunday.

“While the tornado activity may subside over the next 24 hours, then the flooding begins — or it expands,” Lee said. “We already have widespread flooding across the state, but the river flooding will clearly follow.”

Lee called the damage in Selmer, hit last night by an EF3 tornado with estimated peak winds of 160 mph, devastating.

"It’s hard to take in. Walking through an apartment complex, overturned cars, people’s belongings scattered throughout the fields, the roofs off of the buildings," he said. "We know that there was loss of life there. It is total devastation."

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear today warned that the severe weather is not over and that decisions Kentuckians make in the next few days could have deadly consequences.

“We’ve got to make good decisions over these next couple of days,” Beshear said at a news conference.

“If you see high water, turn around. Don’t drive at night when higher waters are harder to see,” he also warned on X. “We know the dangers of flooding all too well. Let’s do what we can to keep everyone safe.”

The western part of Kentucky, among other states, was covered with flood watches this afternoon.

The region has had 1 to 4 inches of rain already, and 5 to 9 inches more could fall through Sunday, the National Weather Service in Paducah said.

“A particularly dangerous flooding and flash flooding situation is expected,” the agency warned. A flash flood watch was in effect until 7 a.m. Sunday.

In February, Kentucky was hit by heavy rains that killed 10 people, the weather service said in a report.

Late this afternoon, 33.7 million people were under flood watches and 4.6 million more were under flood warnings as a spring storm brought rain that could cause a historic weather event, forecasters said.

The National Weather Service warned of a “life-threatening, catastrophic, and potentially historic flash flood event.”

The flash flood watches covered a region from Oklahoma to Ohio and West Virginia.

The huge tornado that ripped through the areas of Lake City and Bay in Arkansas yesterday was an EF3 with 150 mph winds, the National Weather Service said.

Video posted to social media showed a huge funnel cloud in the region in southeastern Arkansas.

Six people were injured in the severe weather in Lake City, a town of around 2,300, the Arkansas Division of Emergency Management said.

A more complete storm survey about the effects of the tornado was suspended today because of the continued threat of weather, the weather service said.

A tornado in Selmer, Tennessee, was an EF3 with an estimated peak wind of 160 mph, the agency said.

Residents of southeast Oklahoma, northeast Texas and much of Arkansas were warned about tornadoes and large hail that could tear through the region tomorrow, officials said.

Clusters of "severe storms" will be "capable of producing several strong-intense tornadoes, along with very large hail and wind damage Friday afternoon/evening" in that region, according to the National Weather Service.

More than 100,000 Michigan homes and business were in the dark late this afternoon as severe weather continued to rock wide swaths of the country.

There were about 102,815 outages in Michigan at about 3 p.m. ET, according to the website Poweroutage.us, which tracks electrical interruptions.

There were also widespread outages in Indiana (56,856), Ohio (25,033), Kentucky (9,676) and Arkansas (9,515), the database said.

Here’s a look at some tornado safety tips:

How do I get emergency updates?

Weather radios, specialized receivers that get alerts and can sound alarms in emergencies, are something that every home and business should have, said Rick Smith, the warning coordination meteorologist at the National Weather Service’s forecast office in Norman, Oklahoma.

“It does feel like old-school technology, but they are lifesaving devices,” Smith said.

Radios can be particularly valuable in the South, where many tornadoes strike at night when people are sleeping. “This can wake you up in the middle of the night with the alarm,” Smith said.

The National Weather Service encourages people to have multiple ways of being warned, which can include weather radios, cellphone apps or other methods in case power is lost. Redundancy is key, Smith said.

Indiana Gov. Mike Braun has activated the Indiana National Guard to aid with storm recovery after severe weather affected at least 41 counties in the state. 

Fifty National Guard soldiers, along with personnel from other state agencies, will begin sandbagging operations to protect critical infrastructure, Braun announced this afternoon.

A 27-year-old man died last night after overnight storms downed power lines in Hendricks County, Indiana, officials say. 

The man was identified as Nathan Merritt, of Danville.

The Hendricks County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call about a crash in Danville at 9:30 p.m. and found a 2007 blue Dodge pickup truck on fire near the edge of a roadway and an unresponsive person on the ground nearby. The roadway had several downed power lines. Merritt was declared dead at the scene.

“It appears that the vehicle was northbound on CR 75 W when it struck downed power lines in the roadway,” the sheriff’s office said. “At some point, the driver exited the vehicle and came into contact with the live power lines.”

That brings the number of storm deaths to seven, according to an NBC News tally: one in Missouri, five in Tennessee and one in Indiana. 

JEFFERSONTOWN, Ky. — Kentucky officials said there were no injuries in the Louisville and Jeffersontown areas after overnight storms caused severe damage and destroyed buildings.

"Jeffersontown has been devastated," Mayor Carol Pike told reporters in front of damaged buildings. Pike said a day care center and school suffered damage. Parts of the day care center’s roof were stripped off and rooms were wrecked in the storms.

Sal Melendez, the spokesperson for Anchorage Middletown Fire & EMS, said over 30 homes have significant damage. Teams were on the ground this afternoon doing damage assessments.

Thus far, the National Weather Service has not officially confirmed that a tornado touched down. A state of emergency is in effect for all of Jefferson County.

At least four people were injured in overnight storms and there are no reports of deaths in Arkansas, the state’s Division of Emergency Management said.

About 15,400 customers in the state remained without power this afternoon.

Local officials are assessing the damage, and preliminary reports show damage to homes and downed trees and power lines. Wind gusts, hail, tornadoes and flash flooding wrecked roads in the area.

The agency warned that heavy rain is forecast to continue through Saturday, and sandbagging machines are being deployed to multiple counties.

Locals are warned to seek shelter in interior rooms during tornado warnings and choose locations with access to higher ground for flood warnings.

Garry Moore, the chief of the Whitewater Fire Protection District in Cape Girardeau County, Missouri, died last night during a tornado outbreak, the county coroner told NBC News.

Officials have not disclosed the circumstances.

The Perryville Fire Department in Missouri said in a statement: "Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Whitewater Fire Protection District as well as the family and friends of Fire Chief Garry Moore, as he made the ultimate sacrifice while serving during storms last night. May God grant them peace and healing in this difficult time."

"The Missouri Association of Fire Chiefs extends its condolences to the Whitewater Fire Protection District on the passing of Fire Chief Gary Moore during severe storms last evening in Cape Girardeau County," the Missouri Association of Fire Chiefs said. 

An eerie video shows the giant funnel cloud of a tornado swirling in Lake City, Arkansas. 

The tornado touched down last night, and the video shared on X showed the twister churning, with lightning visible inside it. Thunder and sirens blared in the background.

Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders shared another video of the Lake City tornado on X, writing: "We have reports of storm and tornado damage from around the state. We have emergency personnel on the ground to help anyone who has been injured, but these storms aren’t finished yet. Stay informed and most importantly stay safe!"

A person died as a result of storms in Carroll County Tennessee, said Kristin Coulter, communications director at the state’s Emergency Management Agency.

No further details were disclosed.

That brings the state’s storm-related death toll to five, adding to one in McNairy County, one in Obion County and two in Fayette County. Overall, six people have died in the storms: five in Tennessee and one in Missouri. 

Over 247,000 customers were without power as of 12:30 p.m. ET, according to PowerOutage.us.

Over 115,000 remained out in Michigan due to severe weather earlier this week. In Indiana, over 65,000 are without power, over 33,000 in Ohio, and over 16,000 each in Texas and Kentucky from Wednesday and overnight storms.

A video from Carmel, in Hamilton County, Indiana, showed severe storm damage caused by a likely tornado.

Storms that pummeled the area left downed and snapped trees and streets covered in rain and debris from a tornado.

The Nashville Fire Department said crews are responding to flooding and water rescue calls following severe storms overnight.

The department shared photos showing rescue crews wading through knee-deep water in the rain, streets turned into rivers, and submerged cars.

Officials urged residents to avoid flooded roads, watch for downed trees and debris, and slow down to give responders space to work.

A second fatality was confirmed in Fayette County, Tennessee, in connection with a trailer that flipped in a tornado, Ray Garcia, the county’s chief deputy of administration, told NBC News.

A 48-year-old father was pronounced dead at the scene, and a 16-year-old daughter later died at the hospital.

A 46-year-old mother is in critical condition. Two other family members, a 20-year-old and a 12-year-old, are in stable condition for now at the hospital, Garcia said.

This brings NBC News’ tally of this storm system’s related deaths to five — four in Tennessee and one in Missouri.

As of 9 a.m., over 330,000 customers were without power across the U.S., according to PowerOutage.us.

Over 116,000 of those are customers in Michigan, which had been grappling with severe weather earlier in the week.

Over 99,000 people in Indiana are without power, over 58,000 in Ohio, over 31,000 in Kentucky and over 25,000 in Arkansas.

There were over 300 storms and 26 tornadoes reported Monday, and that number is likely to increase as more data comes in.

A violent tornado struck Lake City, Arkansas, yesterday and lifted debris 30,000 feet in the air.

On Wednesday, the National Weather Service office in Memphis issued 50 tornado warnings, and the office in Paducah, Kentucky, issued 45 tornado warnings — a top 10 most for a single day for both offices.

This afternoon, 33 million people are at risk from central Texas to southern Pennsylvania, affecting cities such as Dallas, Little Rock, Memphis and Nashville. Strong tornadoes and large hail are the main risks.

Thirty-eight million are also under flood watches from northeastern Texas to northern Ohio. Major metro areas, including Memphis, Nashville, Indianapolis and Detroit, are already under flash flood warnings.

Over the past 24 hours, 3 to 5 inches of rain have fallen across parts of eastern Arkansas into western Tennessee, including around Memphis.

The city of Grand Junction, Tennessee, is reeling from storms that have blown through the area: The electricity is out, City Hall is damaged, and the mayor is trapped in his home, according to the city’s emergency management office.

NBC affiliate WMC of Memphis reported that the city’s mayor, Curtis Lane, was trapped in his home after a tree fell on it.

Thus far, the emergency management office has reported no fatalities or injuries.

Terrifying tornadoes erupted in the mid-South yesterday in a powerful spring storm system that dumped rain and spawned strong winds.

Locals in parts of Lake City, Arkansas, are waking up to severe damage after a massive twister razed the area, tossing cars and trucks and blowing homes down. The National Weather Service had issues its highest warning for the area — a tornado emergency. Some debris got tossed 30,000 feet in the air — as high as commercial airlines fly, NBC News’ Kathy Park reported.

This storm system front is stalled from Pennsylvania to Texas, with more afternoon and evening storms likely, NBC’s Al Roker forecast.

Today into tonight, tornadoes are likely, with a few of them being strong, along with the risk of damaging hail up to 2 inches in diameter and wind gusts up to 60 mph. There's also a risk of EF-2 tornadoes from Texarkana up to Little Rock and Memphis.

Tomorrow, the system will move east and another round of severe storms will develop from Illinois down into Texas, with another risk of strong tornadoes, tennis ball-sized hail and damaging winds.

Roker warned that this multiple-day storm event may lead to historic, life-threatening flooding, with up to 15 inches of rain possible through Saturday from Evansville, Indiana, down to Little Rock.

Storms are receding from the Nashville metro area, but flooding remains a risk through the morning, the National Weather Service said.

Hotel guests at Nashville’s famed Gaylord Opryland Resort took shelter in the basement overnight due to a tornado warning. 

Mike Hockett, who said he was stranded in Nashville for a third night, shared video on X showing guests sitting and standing in the basement, waiting out the warning around 3 a.m. this morning. He said the guests were given the all-clear around 5 a.m. local time.

A third death was confirmed in Tennessee due to a tornado, said Justin Lewis, director of the Fayette County Emergency Management Agency.

A tornado passed through the southeast corner of the county and lifted a house trailer, home to a family of five, off of the ground, he said.

As a result, one person died, two were left in critical condition and two in stable condition, Lewis said.

In Jeffersontown, Kentucky, police urged drivers to use caution on the road due to zero lighting and low visibility conditions. 

The local police department warned that widespread power outages have led to “multiple vehicles vs downed trees.”

Jeffersontown is about 15 miles south east of Louisville. 

Tornado watches are in place in 17 counties of Kentucky and 25 counties in Tennessee through 9 a.m. ET.

Wind advisories are also in effect for parts of southeastern Texas, southwestern Louisiana and Alabama.

In Texas, a wind advisory is in effect for multiple counties — including the cities of Houston, Rosenberg and Galveston — through 5 p.m. CT (6 p.m. ET), with south winds of 15 to 25 mph and gusts up to 30 mph expected.

Officials warn that gusty winds will blow unsecured objects around, could result in downed tree limbs and power outages, and difficult driving conditions.

In Louisiana, the advisory is in effect from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. CT (8 p.m. ET) with wind gusts up to 35 mph forecast. In Alabama, a wind advisory is in effect through 7 a.m. CT (8 a.m. ET).

A high wind warning is also in effect through 11 a.m. ET in the mountainous areas of Tennessee, with south winds of 20 to 40 mph forecast and gusts up to 70 mph. The National Weather Service warned “widespread power outages” and difficult travel conditions are expected.

See a list of NWS warnings here.

As it says with every major flooding event, the National Weather Service has reminded people not to attempt to drive through floodwaters, especially at night. This represents one of the biggest hazards in flooded areas, and the likelihood of cars' engines failing and people becoming trapped is high.

"If your area is experiencing flooding, it’s best to stay put, but if you must be on the road, drive cautiously and NEVER drive through floodwaters," it said on X.

Authorities in Tennessee confirmed two people died overnight as the state battles extreme weather. One death was in McNairy County, the other in Obion County. No further details were released.

One death was announced overnight in Missouri.

Tornado warnings and flash flood warnings are in place across west and central Tennessee today. Residents are urged to follow official channels and local media for updates.

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee declared a state of emergency on Wednesday across the state, including a request for federal assistance in removing debris and protective measures.

Millions are waking to scenes of devastation across large swathes of the United States as forecasters warn that historic flash flooding, severe weather, and the risk of tornadoes will continue into this afternoon.

At least one person was killed and 10 injured, one critically, as tornadoes and severe weather conditions hit a huge portion of the Mid-West to the Mid-South on Wednesday.

The National Weather Service said this "powerful Spring storm system will continue to bring the threat of life-threatening flash flooding and significant severe weather focused on the Ohio Valley west-southwest through the Middle Mississippi Valley, Mid-South, and ArkLaTex."

Areas already hit hard on Wednesday can expect more of the same on today. The NWS is warning of a high risk of extreme rainfall from southwestern Kentucky into western Tennessee and northeastern Arkansas—this could reach between 10 and 15 inches through the weekend.

These areas should be braced for “the greatest threat for numerous instances of life-threatening flash flooding,” the NWS said, with ongoing effects likely to be felt for days to come.

A powerful spring storm system is threatening millions with dangerous weather from northeast Texas to Michigan. Reported tornadoes have already shredded roofs off of homes and businesses in Missouri. In Memphis, the city is filling up sandbags as it braces for at least 10 inches of rain.