Weekend severe weather threat puts millions in nearly two dozen states on alert starting Sunday
The FOX Forecast Center said there have been more than 2,000 severe weather reports this month, including more than 100 confirmed tornadoes during deadly severe weather outbreaks.
Severe weather threat puts millions in nearly two-dozen states on alert this weekend
Tens of millions of people in nearly two-dozen states from the Plains to mid-Atlantic will be on alert for severe weather this weekend into the first part of next week. FOX Weather Meteorologists Britta Merwin and Michael Estime break down the latest forecast on Thursday, March 27, 2025.
Fast Facts:
- Areas devastated by deadly tornado outbreaks earlier this month will be on alert this weekend.
- The strengthening system could produce damaging winds, large hail and tornadoes.
- Severe weather is possible from the Gulf Coast to the Ohio Valley on Sunday and from the Southeast to mid-Atlantic on Monday.
Severe weather has impacted the U.S. throughout March, and unfortunately, that trend is going to continue for the third straight weekend as tens of millions of people in nearly two dozen states prepare for powerful storms starting on Sunday.
So far, the FOX Forecast Center said there have been more than 2,000 severe weather reports this month, including more than 100 confirmed tornadoes during deadly severe weather outbreaks.
Watch: Tornado hits FOX 35 Orlando studio while live on air
Severe weather tore across portions of Central Florida on Monday, March 10, and a tornado hit the FOX 35 Orlando studio while they were live on the air.
"As we take a look at the beginning of severe weather season, it started with a bang, right?" FOX Weather Meteorologist Craig Herrera said. "We’ve already seen a slew of deadly tornadoes crop up. And this month, it’s not even over yet."
More than 40 people were killed nearly two weeks ago as a monster storm system swept across the U.S., producing tornadoes, dust storms, blizzard conditions and wildfires.
Thunderstorms packing vivid lightning and hurricane-force winds knocked out power to hundreds of thousands of utility customers, and communities from the Plains to the Southeast are still working to remove debris and begin the recovery process.
![Storm debris hangs in trees left standing on Purina Farms after a tornado caused significant damage.]()
Image 1 of 17Storm debris hangs in trees left standing on Purina Farms after a tornado caused significant damage. (Purina Farms/Facebook)
![A school bus on the Old Winterboro High School building in Alabama after an EF-2 tornado on March 15, 2025.]()
Image 2 of 17A school bus on the Old Winterboro High School building in Alabama after an EF-2 tornado on March 15, 2025. (Henry's Weather Channel)
![Tim Striegel looks at his damaged home the morning after his mobile home was hit by a tornado on March 16, 2025 in Calera, Alabama. According to reports, two people have been killed and over 50 counties in Alabama have reported damage, and more than 30 people have been killed across the south due to massive storms.]()
Image 3 of 17Tim Striegel looks at his damaged home the morning after his mobile home was hit by a tornado on March 16, 2025 in Calera, Alabama. According to reports, two people have been killed and over 50 counties in Alabama have reported damage, and more than 30 people have been killed across the south due to massive storms. (Jan Sonnenmair)
![Damage is seen in Elliot, Mississippi, on March 15, 2025, after a tornado hit.]()
Image 4 of 17Damage is seen in Elliot, Mississippi, on March 15, 2025, after a tornado hit. (Robert Ray)
![At least 3 people are dead in Missouri following a widespread and dangerous severe weather outbreak Friday evening after numerous tornadoes were spotted traveling through the state, causing significant damage.]()
Image 5 of 17Multiple people are dead in Missouri following a widespread and dangerous severe weather outbreak Friday evening after numerous tornadoes were spotted traveling through the state, causing significant damage. (Missouri State Highway Patrol)
![At least 3 people are dead in Missouri following a widespread and dangerous severe weather outbreak Friday evening after numerous tornadoes were spotted traveling through the state, causing significant damage.]()
Image 6 of 17Multiple people are dead in Missouri following a widespread and dangerous severe weather outbreak Friday evening after numerous tornadoes were spotted traveling through the state, causing significant damage. (Missouri State Highway Patrol)
![A screenshot of drone video shows damages from the EF-2 tornado in Longwood, Florida on March 10, 2025.]()
Image 7 of 17A screenshot of drone video shows damages from the EF-2 tornado in Longwood, Florida on March 10, 2025. (Seminole County Fire Department)
![A screenshot of drone video shows damages from the EF-2 tornado in Longwood, Florida on March 10, 2025.]()
Image 8 of 17A screenshot of drone video shows damages from the EF-2 tornado in Longwood, Florida on March 10, 2025. (Seminole County Fire Department )
![A screenshot of drone video shows damages from the EF-2 tornado in Longwood, Florida on March 10, 2025.]()
Image 9 of 17A screenshot of drone video shows damages from the EF-2 tornado in Longwood, Florida on March 10, 2025. (Seminole County Fire Department)
![Tornado damage in Elliott, Mississippi]()
Image 10 of 17Damage left after a tornado swept through Elliott, Mississippi on March 15, 2025. (Robert Ray)
![Tornado damage in Elliott, Mississippi]()
Image 11 of 17Damage left after a tornado swept through Elliott, Mississippi on March 15, 2025. (Robert Ray)
![The National Weather Service warned that the destructive tornado had been sighted just after 4 a.m. and issued a "Particularly Dangerous Situation" Tornado Warning for Oakland City as the storm approached.]()
Image 12 of 17The National Weather Service warned that the destructive tornado had been sighted just after 4 a.m. and issued a "Particularly Dangerous Situation" Tornado Warning for Oakland City as the storm approached. (Gibson County Sheriff's Office)
![Debris and farm life scattered across the area after a tornado ripped through the small town.]()
Image 13 of 17Debris and farm life scattered across the area after a tornado ripped through the small town. (Robert Ray)
![A car lays on its side after being blown over by a tornado in Elliot, Mississippi, on March 15, 2025.]()
Image 14 of 17A car lays on its side after being blown over by a tornado in Elliot, Mississippi, on March 15, 2025. (Robert Ray)
![Damage to the inside of the Burger King in Villa Ridge, Missouri, which was hit by an EF-2 tornado.]()
Image 15 of 17Damage to the inside of the Burger King in Villa Ridge, Missouri, which was hit by an EF-2 tornado. (Broadway Restaurant Group)
![Damage to the Burger King in Villa Ridge, Missouri, which was hit by an EF-2 tornado.]()
Image 16 of 17Damage to the Burger King in Villa Ridge, Missouri, which was hit by an EF-2 tornado. (Broadway Restaurant Group)
![This image shows some of the damage after a tornado in Tylertown, Mississippi.]()
Image 17 of 17This image shows some of the damage after a tornado in Tylertown, Mississippi. ( )
Before that, millions of people were impacted by severe weather that blasted across the same areas. Some Mardi Gras celebrations in the New Orleans area were forced to be postponed due to the threat, and damage was reported in Texas and Oklahoma.
Deaths were also reported in Mississippi due to the severe weather outbreak.
HOW PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICIALS NOTIFY YOU DURING SEVERE WEATHER EMERGENCIES
More severe weather likely during final weekend of March
(FOX Weather)
The FOX Forecast Center is now monitoring the potential for another multiday severe weather threat as we close out March this weekend.
Forecasters say the developing storm system is expected to move into the Plains by late Saturday and strengthen as it tracks off to the east during the overnight hours.
By Sunday, the system will keep getting stronger and will likely bring the threat of severe weather across a large portion of the U.S., stretching from the Gulf Coast to the Ohio Valley and southern Great Lakes region.
"I mean, it’s a big chunk of our country," FOX Weather Meteorologist Britta Merwin said. "It stretches from the Gulf all the way up through the Great Lakes. And then as we go into Monday, it just kind of slides off towards the east."
Large, violent tornado spotted over Taylorsville, Mississippi
Significant damage was done in Central Mississippi by a large, violent tornado on Saturday afternoon.
Nearly 52 million people will need to prepare for the possibility of strong to severe thunderstorms in major cities across the region starting on Sunday.
On Thursday morning, NOAA's Storm Prediction Center (SPC) highlighted a threat zone stretching from Texas to Ohio.
Cities at risk include Dallas in Texas, Shreveport in Louisiana, Little Rock in Arkansas, Nashville and Memphis in Tennessee, Birmingham in Alabama, St. Louis in Missouri, Indianapolis in Indiana and Columbus in Ohio.
The forecast is still several days away, and the forecast will continue to be updated as we get closer to the weekend. However, it appears that the system will be capable of producing large hail, damaging wind gusts and tornadoes over a very large area of the nation.
"But everything on Sunday is screaming the potential for tornadoes," Merwin continued. "The storm energy is so high. I mean, we’re going to have breaks of sunshine that we’re kind of adding to that instability. It’s going to feel like a severe weather day on Sunday."
BUZZWORDS YOU COULD HEAR DURING SEVERE WEATHER
(FOX Weather)
The threat will then shift to the East Coast from the Southeast to mid-Atlantic and even parts of the Northeast on Monday, putting more than 63 million people on alert.
The SPC highlighted a severe weather risk zone stretching from New Orleans along the Gulf Coast to Philadelphia and Washington.
Other cities that need to prepare for the possibility of severe weather on Monday include Atlanta in Georgia, Jacksonville in Florida, Charlotte in North Carolina and Norfolk in Virginia.
Be sure to download the free FOX Weather app and enable notifications to be alerted if there are changes to the forecast.