More than five million people across five states are under a tornado watch Friday as other extreme weather strikes.
A tornado watch for parts of Alabama, Illinois, Kentucky, Mississippi, and Tennessee will remain in place until at least 1:00 p.m. CST on Friday, according to the National Weather Service’s tornado experts. NWS forecast multiple strong tornadoes, as well as large, isolated hail and wind gusts up to 80 mph.
A tornado watch has been issued for parts of Alabama, Illinois, Kentucky, Mississippi and Tennessee until 1 PM CST pic.twitter.com/zxJItaU0Mn
— NWS Tornado (@NWStornado) March 3, 2023
The NWS extended the tornado watch several times throughout Thursday night, most recently moving the expiration time from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., suggesting that they could extend again as the day goes on. NWS is already set to investigate tornado damage in at least six locations across Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana.
Here is footage of a tornado earlier in Shreveport near Bert Kouns around 5:40 p.m. Storms this evening will continue to be capable of producing short-lived tornadoes . Be prepared to take cover in advance of storms and when Tornado Warnings are issued. Credit: Jamey Bradshaw pic.twitter.com/FdE8IY8em6
— NWS Shreveport (@NWSShreveport) March 3, 2023
At least one tornado hit Shreveport, Louisiana, with video shared on Twitter showing it ripping through a neighborhood as lightning struck within the system. (RELATED: One National Park Hikes Price Tag To Cover Costs. Why Aren’t Our Taxes Protecting Our Land?)
The rest of the U.S. is dealing with its own extreme weather conditions. In California, Yosemite National Park was closed indefinitely due to record-breaking snowfall. A significant winter storm is also set to strike in the Great Lakes region all the way through New England on Friday into Saturday, with heavy snow and travel interruptions anticipated.