At least 9 tornadoes touched down in Alabama, Mississippi this week
Julia Musto
This week's dangerous storms continued to rip through the South and Mid-Atlantic on Thursday, leaving at least one person dead.
The WGHP FOX8 newscast was forced out of their North Carolina studio during a 5 p.m. broadcast and sheltered in a makeup room for a few minutes after a storm with a tornado warning passed over the building.
NATIONAL WEATHER FORECAST: RAIN, SNOW FLURRIES EXPECTED AS SEVERE STORM SYSTEM MOVES OFFSHORE
A couple in Burlington, North Carolina who were out buying hot dogs captured a funnel cloud during a Facebook Live.
Debris litters weather-damaged properties at the intersection of County Road 24 and 37 in Clanton, Ala., the morning following a large outbreak of severe storms across the southeast, Thursday, March 18, 2021. (AP Photo/Vasha Hunt)
To the south, where the storm system had already damaged homes before shifting eastward, the Mississippi Highway Patrol announced that 25-year-old Montreal E. Swazy of Natchez was killed driving on U.S. Highway 61, according to The Natchez Democrat.
Swazy's car hydroplaned and he crashed into a tree. He was pronounced dead at the scene by first responders.
The patrol reported at least 28 crashes on the Mississippi's interstates and highways related to weather conditions, according to The Clarion-Ledger.
NORTH CAROLINA TV STUDIO EVACUATED AS STORMS RIP THROUGH SOUTH
Power outages lingered for thousands of customers across the country as residents and businesses attempted to pick up the pieces.
Severe thunderstorms brought heavy rain, strong winds and some hail, leaving Tennessee roads closed due to flooding and toppling trees.
The National Weather Service issued more than 50 tornado warnings across Alabama ‒ where Gov. Kay Ivey declared a state of emergency ‒ Arkansas, Texas, Mississippi and Oklahoma.
More than two dozen tornadoes were confirmed this week, with at least nine of those touching down in Alabama and Mississippi.
An EF2-rated twister with maximum winds of 135 mph damaged homes in Mississippi's Simpson, Lincoln, Lamar, Copiah and Wayne counties.
In Chilton County, Alabama, an EF2 tornado wreaked havoc just south of Pools Crossroads.
Now, the same low-pressure system is reportedly in the process of exiting into the Atlantic and light rain will continue over the Mid-Atlantic moving eastward.
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Cold air could even bring snow under northerly winds and a large cold high pressure system will dominate much of the East Coast and Deep South into the weekend.
While some light rain is expected to linger along the Southeast coastline, the mid-section of the country is forecast to experience a period of much-needed quiet weather.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
