The meteorological start of winter begins soon, but that is not stopping a potential severe weather outbreak from sweeping through parts of the Midwest and South.
Around midday Tuesday, the Storm Prediction Center issued a tornado watch for much of Louisiana and Mississippi, adding that it is a "particularly dangerous situation."
The Associated Press reported that after that watch was issued, residents of several towns took cover as tornado sirens rang out.
Over 25 million people were in the path of a large storm system moving over an area from Texas to Indiana to Georgia.
There were no immediate reports of injuries amid the multiple tornado warnings Tuesday afternoon.
According to the Storm Prediction Center, over 40 million Americans risk seeing severe weather. The highest threat was in Mississippi, where residents in Jackson, Meridian and Vicksburg were at risk of seeing tornadoes, the Storm Prediction Center said.
As part of its forecast, the agency said that a few strong tornadoes were possible.
“Significant severe storms are possible over a large portion of the area this afternoon into early Wednesday morning,” the National Weather Service’s Jackson office said. “Strong tornadoes, some possibly significant and long-tracked, are possible. Please stay weather aware today through early Wednesday morning.”
While tornado activity generally declines in the U.S. in the late fall, Mississippi sees, on average, five tornadoes each November.
Tuesday’s severe weather threat extended north to Fort Wayne, Indiana. While tornadoes are not a huge concern that far north, the Storm Prediction Center says damaging winds are possible.
Through Sunday, there have been 1,187 tornadoes reported in the U.S. in 2022. Of those, 67 have touched down in November. There have been 20 deaths attributed to tornadoes in 2022 in the United States this year.
