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.
Severe storms return to the South over the weekend
The stage is set for the development of strong to severe storms during the late afternoon and evening on Sunday from the eastern Red River Valley through the Ark-La-Tex and into the Mississippi Valley.
The FOX Forecast Center is tracking the renewed 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)
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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, focusing on eastern Kansas and western Missouri – outside much of the region that was hit hard during the tornado outbreak.
"But eventually it drifts into areas that have already been hit: Missouri and parts of Arkansas," Merwin continued. That includes Rolla, which was hit hard by a tornado last Friday.
(FOX Weather)
NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center (SPC) placed parts of 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.
Sunday's severe weather threat: Mositure to be ‘a game changer’
(FOX Weather)
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.
"And the moisture is going to be a game changer," said FOX Weather Meteorologist Craig Herrera. "We're going to have more energy to work with."
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 (storm's) dive to the south, it's going to scoop up more moisture," Merwin said. "Afternoon temperatures across the south will easily be pushing 80 degrees. That's enough to get those thunderstorms popping late in the day."
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The level 2 out of 5 risk includes cities like Shreveport, Louisiana; Tupelo, Mississippi, and Memphis, Tennessee.
(FOX Weather)
In better news, some major cities that were originally in the level 2 threat zone were removed on Friday morning, such as Dallas, Nashville and Birmingham.
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.
"So we'll see widely scattered thunderstorms, but a handful of them will turn severe. And you just want to make sure that you're ready to go because it is the same zone," Merwin said "And I will say that is the hardest thing when you've been through something traumatic. And then you hear that first rumble of thunder or you get that first weather alert on your phone. It brings you right back to that moment, especially when you're only a week removed."
ADVICE FOR DEALING WITH STORM ANXIETY WHEN SEVERE WEATHER THREATENS
However, at this time, the severe weather threat is not expected to reach the level that was predicted ahead of that severe weather outbreak.