Tree crushes Louisiana school bus as storms with high winds, hail tear across Gulf Coast
Severe weather pounded the Gulf Coast on Monday, putting millions of people in cities such as New Orleans and Baton Rouge in Louisiana, Mobile in Alabama and Tallahassee in Florida on alert for strong to severe thunderstorms
Over a dozen states are threatened by potential severe storms this week.
The severe storm threat starts in the Great Lakes before it moves down towards the gulf. Some areas that tornadoes have already hit are under threat again.
NEW ORLEANS – A line of powerful thunderstorms swept across the Deep South and Gulf Coast on Monday, one day after storms left trails of damage from Texas to Kentucky.
![This image shows a dark sky above Livingston, Louisiana, as heavy rain and strong winds slam the town during severe weather on March 24, 2025.]()
Image 1 of 5This image shows a dark sky above Livingston, Louisiana, as heavy rain and strong winds slam the town during severe weather on March 24, 2025. (@stormmasterjohn/X )
![This photo shows vivid lightning that lit up the night sky above Hartselle, Alabama, on Sunday, March 23, 2025.]()
Image 2 of 5This photo shows vivid lightning that lit up the night sky above Hartselle, Alabama, on Sunday, March 23, 2025. (@dopplerneal/X)
![This photo shows a large hailstone that fell during severe weather in Kerrville, Texas, on March 23, 2025.]()
Image 3 of 5This photo shows a large hailstone that fell during severe weather in Kerrville, Texas, on March 23, 2025. (Glenn Perrigo/Facebook)
![Hail damage to a vehicle in Kerrville, Texas at Calvary Temple Church on March 23, 2025.]()
Image 4 of 5Hail damage to a vehicle in Kerrville, Texas at Calvary Temple Church on March 23, 2025. (@del_way/X)
![A thunderstorm seen from Greenville, Mississippi on Sunday, March 23, 2025.]()
Image 5 of 5A thunderstorm seen from Greenville, Mississippi on Sunday, March 23, 2025. (Corey Gerken )
The severe weather pounded the Gulf Coast and put millions of people in cities such as New Orleans and Baton Rouge in Louisiana, Mobile in Alabama, and Tallahassee in Florida on alert for strong to severe thunderstorms.
Storms moved across portions of Texas before sweeping off to the east Monday morning, with emergency management officials in Galveston County reporting damage to a home in the community of San Leon.
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Watch: Severe weather slams Louisiana town
A video shared from Livingston, Louisiana, shows heavy rain and strong winds as severe weather tore across the region on Monday, March 24, 2025.
Storms then raced across Louisiana, with a video shared from Livingston showing vivid lightning, heavy rain and strong winds blasting through the area.
Another video captured lightning illuminating the sky over Baton Rouge, where a 78-mph wind gust, which is as strong as a Category 1 hurricane, was reported at Baton Rouge Airport.
Strong winds also toppled part of a large tree in East Baton Rouge onto a school bus in Zachary early Monday morning.
A damaged school bus in Zachary, Louisiana on Monday, March 24, 2025, after a tree fell on it during a storm. (credit: WAFB)
(FOX 8 New Orleans)
A Zachary Community School District spokesperson told FOX Weather that students were not in the section of the bus where the tree fell, and no one was injured. The spokesperson said Zachary Elementary temporarily lost power during the storm prompting an early dismissal.
Watch: Vivid lightning illuminated sky above Baton Rouge, Louisiana
A video recorded in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, shows lightning illuminating the sky during severe weather on Monday, March 24, 2025.
Numerous Severe Thunderstorm Warnings were issued Monday morning, and additional alerts followed as storms charged east through the late morning and afternoon hours.
Because of the threat on Monday, the National Weather Service issued a Severe Thunderstorm Watch for nearly 3 million people in portions of Louisiana and Mississippi, but that expired early Monday afternoon.