Tornado outbreak is raking across Central US as part of a major storm that has killed 3 so far

By Mary Gilbert, Eric Zerkel, Zoe Sottile and Angela Fritz

(CNN) — The strongest storm system of spring so far roared across the Midwest and South Friday night into Saturday morning, spawning what could end up being dozens of tornadoes that raked through towns in darkness — the most dangerous and deadly time for a tornado outbreak.

The magnitude of the damage was unclear in the early-morning hours Saturday as forecasters at the National Weather Service furiously issued tornado warnings and the radar lit up with severe thunderstorms from Wisconsin to Mississippi.

It’s part of a major, cross-country low pressure system that has killed three people so far and pounded the central US with hurricane-force gusts, creating a blinding dust storm and fanning wildfire flames.

As meteorologists from the Weather Service assess the damage Saturday, the storm will gather new strength and take aim at the Southeast with the highest possible risk of deadly tornadoes and severe thunderstorms Saturday night.

Here are the latest updates:

• Ongoing tornado outbreak: The National Weather Service received more than 250 reports of severe weather, including tornadoes, hail and wind, across the Midwest and Mississippi Valley Friday night into early Saturday morning. Numerous tornadoes have been reported and the threat of more continues into the night.

• Hurricane-force wind gusts: Winds greater than 80 mph whipped across the Southern Plains earlier on Friday, killing at least three people in car crashes attributed to dust storms in Texas. The fierce winds and dust storms toppled semi-trucks, trees and power lines, triggering widespread power outages.

• Fires force evacuations: Fast-spreading fires started popping up in Oklahoma and the Texas Panhandle Friday afternoon, pushed by strong winds amid bone-dry conditions. At least 15 fires forced evacuations throughout Oklahoma, including in Leedey and Norman, where a cluster of “dangerous wildfires” was moving rapidly northeast, according to the National Weather Service.

A fast-moving fire in the western portion of Stillwater, Oklahoma, also spurred evacuations, the city said, although Oklahoma State University’s main campus said they are currently safe. Evacuations were temporarily required in Lake Tanglewood, Texas, just outside of Amarillo, according to the Randall County Sheriff’s Office. In the Texas Panhandle, a fire in Roberts County has burned through an estimated 21,000 acres and is only 50% contained, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service.

• Rare highest risk for tornadoes: A level 5 of 5 high risk of severe thunderstorms was issued Friday afternoon in Mississippi and Alabama for Saturday for a “likely tornado outbreak,” according to the Storm Prediction Center. It’s a threat level reminiscent of past deadly storms. High-risk days are only used when forecasters are very confident conditions are right for widespread, dangerous storms. They’ve occurred on less than 1% days over the past 25 years, according to a CNN analysis of NOAA data.

• Violent tornadoes possible: Saturday’s tornadoes could be “violent,” the SPC warned, EF4 or stronger, and be capable of lasting long distances, increasing the chance for destruction. Only 1% of all tornadoes get this strong, but they account for an outsized 66% of all tornado deaths, according to the SPC.

• States of emergency declared: The governors of Alabama, Kansas and Missouri have issued emergency declarations due to the threat of severe weather and fires.

Severe thunderstorm outbreak starts Friday

Severe thunderstorms will intensify and become more ferocious late Friday afternoon in the Midwest and could potentially strike more than 900 miles of the region – from Louisiana to Minnesota – through the overnight hours as they race east.

A level 4 of 5 risk of severe thunderstorms is in place for more than 12 million people across the region from central Iowa to northern Mississippi, including Des Moines, St. Louis and Memphis, Tennessee.

A lower but still significant level 3 of 5 risk is in place in the surrounding areas and could impact cities such as Chicago, Kansas City and Jackson, Mississippi, according to the Storm Prediction Center. Damaging winds will be widespread, with some storms producing hurricane-strength gusts up to 100 mph within the level 3 and 4 risk areas.

A lower threat of severe storms spreads from Louisiana, including New Orleans, to Minnesota, including Minneapolis.

This line of severe thunderstorms will continue its trek east and is expected to last through the overnight hours, adding to the danger. The weather could go from calm to violent in a matter of minutes in the line’s path, leaving anyone caught in the storms with little time to react.

“Ensure you have multiple ways to receive warnings, including a way to be alerted if you are sleeping,” the National Weather Service in Central Illinois urged Thursday. “Know where you would take shelter in the event that a warning is issued.”

Tornadoes and hail are also possible. The greatest risk for tornadoes, some of which could be strong – rated EF2 or higher – is for more than 8 million people from western Illinois and southeastern Missouri south through northwestern Tennessee and into northern Mississippi and Louisiana, and includes St. Louis, Memphis and Baton Rouge.

Forecasters were unusually confident in the threat.

“Today may end up as one of the more prolific severe weather outbreaks in recent memory in the bi-state (Missouri and Illinois) region,” the Weather Service office in St. Louis said.

But the threat for strong tornadoes stretches well beyond there, from southern Mississippi and Alabama north to northern Illinois and Iowa late Friday and overnight. This timing adds to the dangers: Nighttime tornadoes are nearly twice as likely to be deadly as those occurring during the day, a 2022 study found.

Highest possible risk of tornadoes, severe weather issued for Saturday

Saturday will be even more dangerous for tornadoes, according to the Storm Prediction Center, which is pinpointing the South as where “a particularly volatile scenario for destructive severe (storms)” could occur.

Severe thunderstorms could be ongoing early Saturday morning, but the most dangerous thunderstorms will intensify or develop by the afternoon in the South.

“Numerous significant tornadoes, some of which should be long-track and potentially violent, are expected on Saturday afternoon and evening” for central and southern parts of Mississippi and Alabama, the SPC warned.

A level 5 of 5 high risk is in place for nearly 3 million people in Mississippi and Alabama, including Jackson and Birmingham. This is the first high risk issued for severe thunderstorms since last May and only the fifth in the past five years.

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A level 4 of 5 risk of severe thunderstorms surrounds the high risk area and stretches from eastern Louisiana, including New Orleans, into western Georgia, and the extreme western Florida Panhandle. A level 3 of 5 risk of severe storms surrounds the level 4 area and includes cities like Atlanta and Nashville.

In addition to the tornado threat, thunderstorms will once again deliver damaging wind gusts and hail through the evening and into early Sunday morning.

Severe thunderstorms will push east Sunday and mainly deliver heavy rain and damaging winds to much of the East Coast.

Hurricane-strength winds brings windstorms and wildfire outbreak

Powerful winds were sweeping across the central US Friday, with wind gusts up to 90 mph possible from the late morning through the evening in parts of New Mexico and the Plains – as strong as a Category 1 hurricane.

At least three people died Friday in vehicle collisions in Texas, when heavy winds generated severe dust storms and reduced visibility, according to local authorities.

Two fatalities were reported in separate collisions in Parmer County, in the southwestern Texas Panhandle, Texas Department of Public Safety Sgt. Cindy Barkley told CNN Friday evening. Another driver died in a crash on Interstate 40 in Gray County, she said.

Each fatal crash involved more than two vehicles, according to Barkley and all three crashes occurred “due to the high winds causing the dirt to blow.” Another crash involving approximately 38 vehicles caused multiple injuries in Canyon, Texas, but none are life-threatening, she said.

“Dangerous winds and blowing dust are causing LOTS of issues out there, including accidents, downed power lines and low visibility,” the NWS in Amarillo warned late Monday morning.

The winds are also ramping up another threat: fire.

Extremely critical, level 3 of 3 fire weather conditions are in place Friday from Texas through Kansas, according to the Storm Prediction Center, and a wildfire outbreak is possible.

Multiple fires were beginning to spread across Texas and Oklahoma on Friday afternoon.

In Oklahoma, at least 15 wildfires spurred evacuations in multiple parts of the state, although no fatalities have been reported, Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management spokesperson Keli Cain told CNN.

There are more than 100 hot spots across the state emergency officials are working to put out, Cain said. High winds – one of the primary culprits fueling the fire outbreak Friday – have also caused other problems, including traffic accidents and damage to buildings, she said.

A wildfire evacuation order was issued for parts of Norman, Oklahoma’s third most populous city, according to Gov. Kevin Stitt. There are multiple fire in the Norman area, local officials said, and the area is also facing a “powerful dust storm,” the National Weather Service office there said. Winds across the state are expected to die down after 12 a.m. local time but the humidity level is not expected to increase significantly, Cain said.

Further west, in Robert County, Texas, the Windmill Fire has expanded from an estimated 1,500 acres burned to an estimated 18,000 acres over the course of the day, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service, but firefighters have it 50% contained. The fire had a rate of spread of as much as a football field in size every two seconds.

A rare, “particularly dangerous situation” fire warning was issued for parts of Kansas by the National Weather Service office in Wichita, warning of “catastrophic grassland fire danger” due to the extreme conditions.

“This is a particularly dangerous situation where a risk of property damage or loss of life could occur,” the office said.

Hazardous travel possible in blizzard conditions

The northern, colder side of the powerful storm will bring its own set of problems. Snow – possibly mixed with ice at times – will fall in the north-central US starting Friday night.

Only a few inches of snow will fall in most spots through Saturday but the storm’s powerful winds will cause plenty of blowing and drifting, culminating in blizzard conditions for some.

These conditions can make it difficult or even impossible to see more than a few feet into the distance. A blizzard last week shut down highways, stranded vehicles and caused crashes across multiple states.

It will be weather whiplash for some places, including Minneapolis: The city could see severe thunderstorms on Friday night transition to snow as temperatures plummet Saturday.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

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CNN’s Rebekah Riess, Robert Shackelford and Taylor Romine contributed to this report.