Deadly storms roll eastward from Texas
A large storm system spouting heavy winds and possible tornados in Texas, Louisiana and Kentucky damaged homes and buildings, downed trees, left thousands without power and was blamed for the deaths of two people Friday as it marched eastward, threatening heavy snow in the Midwest and Northeast.
After spawning likely tornadoes overnight in Texas and Louisiana that damaged a university campus, the storms threatened the Tennessee and Ohio valleys with high winds and more tornadoes as they moved toward New England, officials said.
A 70-year-old man sitting in his truck as strong winds blew through Talledega County, Ala., was killed Friday when a tree fell onto the vehicle. Coroner Shaddix Murphy said it happened about 11:30 a.m. as a storm system came through the area.
“The death appears to be weather-related, with the winds we were having at the time,” Murphy said. The victim was identified as Allen Cooley of Talledega.
In west central Mississippi, a
person was killed inside a vehicle Friday after a tree, toppled by strong winds, struck the car. The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency has not identified the person but said in a news release that the death is being considered as weather-related.
Parts of southwestern Michigan and northern Indiana saw rain, freezing rain, sleet, snow and strong wind gusts Friday, according to Indiana Michigan Power. The National Weather Service issued numerous tornado warnings in parts of Indiana, Alabama and western Georgia.
In Kentucky, Gov. Andy Beshear warned of possible tornadoes and 55- to 65-mph wind gusts after rain moved through the state.
In New England, the storm was expected to bring as much as 18 inches of snow and winds gusts as high as 40 mph to parts of New Hampshire and Maine.
The weather service surveyed
damage Friday near Pickton, about 80 miles east of Dallas, where a confirmed tornado struck, according to meteorologist Daniel Huckaby.
Winds of nearly 80 mph were recorded near the Fort Worth suburb of Blue Mound. The roof of an apartment building in the suburb of Hurst was blown away, resident Michael Roberts told KDFW-TV.
“The whole building started shaking . ... The whole ceiling is gone,” Roberts said. “It got really crazy.”
Buildings at Louisiana State University-shreveport were damaged, and trees were toppled, said spokesperson Erin Smith, but the campus was reopening Friday after being shut down overnight.
Heavy rain was reported in northern Arkansas and southern Missouri, causing flooding in both states.