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Severe thunderstorms on Sunday caused widespread damage, leaving thousands without power on Monday. Continuing storms threaten four states today with over 5 million people under a tornado watch and severe thunderstorm watches across the southeast.
A larger severe weather outbreak is looming midweek.
Over 5 million people are under a tornado watch this morning across northern Florida, while millions more are under a severe thunderstorm watch and portions of Central Florida, southeast Georgia, central and eastern South Carolina, and eastern North Carolina.
An earlier tornado watch for southeast Georgia has now been canceled.
A severe thunderstorm watch is in effect for Central Florida to include areas south of Daytona Beach that extends south of Tampa to the west and just north of Fort Myers.
The storm is anticipated to arrive before 2 PM for areas north of Orlando, while expected to arrive between 2 PM-5 PM for areas south of Orlando.
Severe weather raged through the South on Sunday leaving nearly 90,000 people without power across Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia on Monday.
This is especially problematic since so many people are working home, relying on the Internet and companies struggle with completing online payroll.
A large area of severe weather is forecast by the National Weather Service (NWS) for Wednesday into Thursday this week. The forecast calls for severe thunderstorms, heavy rain and potential flash flooding.
The potentially affected areas for Wednesday include: eastern Texas, southern Oklahoma, southern Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and southern Alabama.
On Thursday, the threat expands into portions of northern Alabama, eastern Tennessee, northwest Georgia, western Virginia, southwestern West Virginia and eastern Kentucky.
Severe storms on Sunday brought damaging winds and large hail across the South, as well as potentially large tornadoes that took down trees, while heavy rain brought flooding.
Between 4-5 inches of large hail accumulated in Alexander City, Alabama. The hail punched large holes in the sides of houses. In Hattiesburg, Mississippi, flooding closed Highway 49 at the 4th Street Bridge, as well as flooded vehicles and took down trees.
According to the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency, the severe weather caused the death of one person in Marion County. The death comes after over a dozen people were killed in Mississippi during the tornado outbreak that occurred last week.
Police in Mandeville, Louisiana reported a potential tornado that touched down causing damage and taking down trees.
