Dangerous Storms, Tornadoes Forecast for Midwest and Southern US
By MICHAEL GOLDBERG and LISA BAUMANN – Associated Press
JACKSON, Mississippi (AP) — Meteorologists are urging some people in the Midwest and South to prepare for dangerous weather on Friday, including a tornado that killed at least 21 in a devastating The situation is similar to the situation a week ago when he unleashed a dramatic twister. Mississippi people.
According to the National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center, severe thunderstorms can bring hail, gusts and tornadoes that can move powerfully and over long distances.
Major population centers at highest risk of storms beginning Friday afternoon include Memphis, Tennessee; Jonesboro, Arkansas; and Cedar Rapids, Iowa. as of Thursday afternoon’s forecastBut people in eastern Iowa, western and northern Illinois, Missouri, and Arkansas should also be prepared, said Victor Genzini, a meteorology professor and tornado expert in northern Illinois. increase.
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“There are a lot of thunderstorms…tornadoes, destructive winds, big hail,” he said.
Meteorologists say people in these areas should stockpile emergency supplies, prepare for power outages, avoid being stranded in areas prone to fallen trees or severe hail, and park their cars in garages if possible. there is.
Last Friday night, a vicious tornado in Mississippi killed at least 21 people, injured dozens, and flattened entire blocks as it blazed a trail of destruction for more than an hour. About 2,000 homes were damaged or destroyed, according to the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency.
In Sharkey County, western Mississippi, 13 people died in a county of 3,700 people. Winds of up to 200 mph (322 km/h) blew through the rural town of Rolling Fork, turning homes into heaps of rubble, overturning cars and collapsing the town’s water tower.
President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden are scheduled to visit Rolling Fork on Friday.
Gensini said Friday’s atmospheric set-up was similar to conditions that existed during the deadly storm in Mississippi.
The dangerous forecast is the result of strong southerly winds carrying large amounts of moisture from the northern Gulf of Mexico and interacting with the intensifying storm system.
The Bureau of Meteorology is forecasting another severe storm next Tuesday in the same general area as last week. AccuWeather meteorologist Brandon Buckingham said earlier this week:.
Bill Bunting, head of forecasting operations for the Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center, said people should have tough weather plans in place that include multiple ways to receive storm warning information.
“We have all seen dire reports in other parts of the country, and I am desperate for people to pay attention to the predictions that have been made for the past few days regarding Friday’s threat. ‘ said Bunting.
Baumann reported from Bellingham, Washington. AP writer Isabella O’Malley contributed from Philadelphia.
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