Severe Weather Hits Southeast US
A powerful storm system brought damaging winds and triggered tornado watches across Mississippi, Louisiana, Georgia, and Florida over the weekend. The system is currently moving east. Red flag warnings for wildfire risk remain in effect for several regions.
- The fiercest storms struck near Lake Charles, Louisiana, where high winds overturned a horse trailer, damaged an airport jet bridge, and ripped an awning from a house. - The storm system knocked out power to more than 25,000 customers at its peak, including over 12,000 in northern Florida, 7,000 in Mississippi, and another 6,000 in Louisiana as of Sunday afternoon. - The National Weather Service's Storm Prediction Center had issued a "Slight Risk" for severe thunderstorms across northern Florida and southern Georgia, warning of damaging winds and the potential for a strong tornado. - Power poles were snapped and toppled near the Louisiana towns of Jena, Cheneyville, and Donaldsonville. - A Red Flag Warning indicates that critical fire weather conditions are occurring or will shortly. A combination of strong winds, low relative humidity, and warm temperatures can contribute to extreme fire behavior. - The storm system began in Texas on Saturday, February 14, before tracking eastward through Louisiana and Mississippi overnight and reaching Georgia and Florida by Sunday morning. - While no serious injuries were reported, National Weather Service employees surveyed the damage, which included confirmed weak tornadoes on February 14th that caused tree and minor structural damage. - As the storm system moved east on Sunday evening, the severe threat was downgraded to a "Marginal Risk," with gusty winds considered the primary remaining hazard for parts of north-central Florida and southeast Georgia.
