Weekend severe weather threat eyes parts of South recently ravaged by deadly tornado outbreak
While a few severe storms could develop on Saturday, the greater concern comes on Sunday when more than 22 million people from eastern Texas to southern Kentucky have been placed in a level 2 out of 5 risk of severe weather.
Weekend severe weather eyes areas of South ravaged by deadly tornado outbreak
The same ares of the South that were just ravaged by a deadly tornado outbreak last weekend will see a renewed risk of severe weather this weekend. FOX Weather Meteorologists Stephen Morgan and Marissa Torres break down the latest on Thursday, March 20, 2025.
The FOX Forecast Center is tracking the threat of severe weather this weekend in parts of the South that were recently ravaged by a deadly tornado outbreak.
"It is always a high concern when areas go under a threat back to back," FOX Weather Meteorologist Britta Merwin said. "But especially considering what happened. I mean, over 100 confirmed tornadoes from last weekend’s outbreak."
![Tornado damage in Paragould, Arkansas after the March 2025 tornado.]()
Image 1 of 26Tornado damage in Paragould, Arkansas after the March 2025 tornado. (Jim's Drone Adventures )
![Tornado damage in Paragould, Arkansas after the March 2025 tornado.]()
Image 2 of 26Tornado damage in Paragould, Arkansas after the March 2025 tornado. (Jim's Drone Adventures )
![Tornado damage in Paragould, Arkansas after the March 2025 tornado.]()
Image 3 of 26Tornado damage in Paragould, Arkansas after the March 2025 tornado. (Jim's Drone Adventures )
![Tornado damage in Paragould, Arkansas after the March 2025 tornado.]()
Image 4 of 26Tornado damage in Paragould, Arkansas after the March 2025 tornado. (Jim's Drone Adventures )
![Tornado damage in Paragould, Arkansas after the March 2025 tornado.]()
Image 5 of 26Tornado damage in Paragould, Arkansas after the March 2025 tornado. (Jim's Drone Adventures )
![Tornado damage in Paragould, Arkansas after the March 2025 tornado.]()
Image 6 of 26Tornado damage in Paragould, Arkansas after the March 2025 tornado. (Jim's Drone Adventures )
![A school bus on the Old Winterboro High School building in Alabama after an EF-2 tornado on March 15, 2025.]()
Image 7 of 26A school bus on the Old Winterboro High School building in Alabama after an EF-2 tornado on March 15, 2025. (Henry's Weather Channel)
![This image shows some of the damage after a tornado in Tylertown, Mississippi.]()
Image 8 of 26This image shows some of the damage after a tornado in Tylertown, Mississippi. ( )
![This image shows some of the damage after a tornado in Tylertown, Mississippi.]()
Image 9 of 26This image shows some of the damage after a tornado in Tylertown, Mississippi. ( )
![This image shows some of the damage after a tornado in Tylertown, Mississippi.]()
Image 10 of 26This image shows some of the damage after a tornado in Tylertown, Mississippi. ( )
![This image shows some of the damage after a tornado in Tylertown, Mississippi.]()
Image 11 of 26This image shows some of the damage after a tornado in Tylertown, Mississippi. ( )
![Tornado damage in Cave City, Arkansas on March 15, 2025.]()
Image 12 of 26Tornado damage in Cave City, Arkansas on March 15, 2025. (Kristen Lashley / X)
![Debris and farm life scattered across the area after a tornado ripped through the small town.]()
Image 13 of 26Debris and farm life scattered across the area after a tornado ripped through the small town. (Robert Ray)
![Damage to the Burger King in Villa Ridge, Missouri, which was hit by an EF-2 tornado.]()
Image 14 of 26Damage to the Burger King in Villa Ridge, Missouri, which was hit by an EF-2 tornado. (Broadway Restaurant Group)
![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 15 of 26Tim 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)
![]()
Image 16 of 26CALERA, ALABAMA - MARCH 16: Tim Striegel, in red shirt (center) goes though his damaged belongings while volunteers help him clean up 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. (Photo by Jan Sonnenmair/Getty Images) ( )
![Tornado Hits Town Of Calera, Alabama]()
Image 17 of 26CALERA, ALABAMA - MARCH 16: Tim Striegel, in red shirt (center) goes though his damaged belongings while volunteers help him clean up sthe 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 to the Burger King in Villa Ridge, Missouri, which was hit by an EF-2 tornado.]()
Image 18 of 26Damage to the Burger King in Villa Ridge, Missouri, which was hit by an EF-2 tornado. (Broadway Restaurant Group)
![Damage to the inside of the Burger King in Villa Ridge, Missouri, which was hit by an EF-2 tornado.]()
Image 19 of 26Damage 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 inside of the Burger King in Villa Ridge, Missouri, which was hit by an EF-2 tornado.]()
Image 20 of 26Damage to the inside of the Burger King in Villa Ridge, Missouri, which was hit by an EF-2 tornado. (Broadway Restaurant Group)
![Debris and farm life scattered across the area after a tornado ripped through the small town.]()
Image 21 of 26Debris and farm life scattered across the area after a tornado ripped through the small town. (Robert Ray)
![Trees lay toppled and building are destroyed after severe weather in Dallas County, Alabama.]()
Image 22 of 26Trees lay toppled and building are destroyed after severe weather in Dallas County, Alabama. (Dallas County Sheriff's Department, Selma, Alabama)
![Aerial photo shows damage in Dallas County, Alabama, after severe weather Saturday night.]()
Image 23 of 26Aerial photo shows damage in Dallas County, Alabama, after severe weather Saturday night. (Dallas County Sheriff's Department, Selma, Alabama)
![This photo shows significant damage in Calera, Alabama.]()
Image 24 of 26This photo shows significant damage in Calera, Alabama. (Brandy Campbell)
![This photo shows significant damage in Calera, Alabama.]()
Image 25 of 26This photo shows significant damage in Calera, Alabama. (Brandy Campbell)
![Damage is seen in Elliot, Mississippi, on March 15, 2025, after a tornado hit.]()
Image 26 of 26Damage is seen in Elliot, Mississippi, on March 15, 2025, after a tornado hit. (Robert Ray)
The threat of severe weather will begin on Saturday, but the focus is outside of regions that were hit hard during the outbreak.
"We’re looking at parts of Kansas and Oklahoma, but eventually it drifts into areas that have already been hit: Missouri and parts of Arkansas," Merwin continued.
(FOX Weather)
NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center (SPC) placed the region in a level 1 out of 5 threat on its severe thunderstorm risk scale for Saturday.
At this point, the main concerns with any thunderstorms that develop will be strong wind gusts and hail.
As we move from Saturday into Sunday, moisture is forecast to increase considerably over the southern Plains as a potent upper-level disturbance dives southeastward across the central U.S.
This will set the stage for the development of strong to severe thunderstorms on Sunday, particularly during the late-afternoon and evening hours from eastern Texas through the lower Mississippi and Tennessee valleys.
"The southerly trajectory is going to drop a lot of Gulf moisture, and that’s going to support thunderstorms," Merwin said.
DOWNLOAD THE FREE FOX WEATHER APP
(FOX Weather)
The area of concern for severe weather has been expanded to include more areas of the South and Tennessee Valley.
"So, we’re kind of having a bigger catch here of how many Americans will be impacted," Merwin continued.
More than 22 million people from eastern Texas to southern Kentucky have been placed in a level 2 out of 5 risk for Sunday.
This includes cities like Dallas in Texas, Shreveport in Louisiana, Jackson in Mississippi, Memphis and Nashville in Tennessee and Huntsville and Birmingham in Alabama.
(FOX Weather)
The severe weather threat on Sunday is centered across areas of the lower Mississippi Valley and South that were hit hard by the deadly tornado outbreak a week prior.
However, at this time, the severe weather threat is not expected to reach the level that was predicted ahead of that severe weather outbreak.