Tornado outbreak live updates: 40 dead in cross-country storm system

Millions of Americans across the country are on alert for a severe weather outbreak as violent, long-track tornadoes with damaging winds of up to 80 mph and large hail are expected across the Midwest and South with the cross-country storm moving east.

The same storm system delivered raging winds to the Plains states earlier, leading to wildfires and severe dust storms that left more than a dozen people dead in Kansas, Texas and Oklahoma.

Overall, at least 40 deaths have been recorded from the cross-country storm system.

Latest Developments

_{Mar 16, 11:00 AM}

Death toll climbs to 40

At least 40 people in seven states have died amid the severe weather outbreak, officials said Sunday.

At least 12 deaths were reported in Missouri, the most of any state, officials said.

On Sunday morning, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey said at least three people were killed in her state on Saturday.

"Yesterday's severe weather impacted most of Alabama," Ivey said in a statement. "Unfortunately, we have learned of the loss of at least two of our fellow Alabamians -- one life in Plantersville and one in Winterboro."

Ivey said 52 of Alabama's 67 counties reported damage from the severe weather outbreak and that a damage assessment was continuing.

"The sun has risen in Alabama, though," Ivey said. "We pray for those lives we lost, as well as those who were injured. And we pray for our first responders, emergency management officials, and linemen who are doing incredible work on the ground right now."

At least eight deaths were reported in Kansas; six people in Mississippi were killed; four people perished in Texas; three people died in Arkansas; and four people were killed in Oklahoma, officials said.

ABC News' Victoria Arancio

_{Mar 16, 7:18 PM}

Tornado warnings issued north of Tampa, Florida: NWS

As the cross-country storm continues to spread across the United States, cities north of Tampa, Florida, are now under tornado warnings.

Zephyrhills, Pasadena Hills and Crystal Springs are under alert until 7:30 p.m. ET, according to the National Weather Service.

_{Mar 16, 6:33 PM}

3 missing in Mississippi storm found alive

Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves shared a storm update Sunday afternoon after signing a state of emergency declaration Saturday night.

The governor said preliminary information shows as many as 12 tornadoes could have ripped through the state in the cross-country storm.

The storm left six dead and 27 injured in Mississippi, but the three people reported missing were found alive, Reeves said.

Twenty-three counties in the state are reporting damage and 12 filed emergency requests, the governor said.

-ABC News' Darren Reynolds

_{Mar 16, 5:55 PM}

White House deploys National Guard to Arkansas

President Donald Trump took to his social media platform on Sunday to say that the White House is monitoring the spate of tornadoes and storms impacting the Midwest and South.

Thirty-seven people have been killed in the cross-country storm system, according to officials.

Trump said the National Guard has been deployed to Arkansas.

"My Administration is ready to assist State and Local Officials, as they help their communities to try and recover from the damage," Trump wrote.

"Please join Melania and me in praying for everyone impacted by these terrible storms!" the president added.

-ABC News' Hannah Demissie

_{Mar 16, 5:26 PM}

EF-4 tornado confirmed in Arkansas

An EF-4-rated tornado -- the strongest of this multi-day, severe weather outbreak -- has been confirmed in Diaz, Arkansas, according to officials.

Preliminary information showed the twister had an estimated peak winds of 190 mph.

The last EF-4 tornado to impact the area was in December 2021.

-ABC News' Daniel Peck

_{Mar 16, 4:18 PM}

14 homes damaged in Paulding County, Georgia

At least 14 homes were damaged by falling trees during an intense storm Sunday in Paulding County, Georgia, authorities said.

The storm packing high winds struck along Route 61, uprooting numerous trees, Paulding County Sheriff Ashley Henson said in a video statement posted on Facebook Sunday afternoon.

At least one tornado is suspected to have touched down in Plauding County, Henson said.

"Right now we know there are 14 homes that have been impacted by trees either on them or in them," Henson said.

Henson said no injuries have been reported.

The sheriff said an electrical transmission line was also damaged and about 12,000 utility customers in Paulding County were without electricity.

ABC News' Victoria Arancio

_{Mar 16, 11:44 AM}

New tornado watch in effect for W. Virginia, Ohio and Pennsylvania

A new tornado watch was issued Sunday for portions of West Virginia, Ohio and Pennsylvania.

The severe weather threat will be ramping up across this region over the next few hours, according to the National Weather Service.

The tornado watch is in effect until at least 4 p.m. ET. Funnel clouds could develop in Charleston, West Virginia, and Pittsburgh and Erie, Pennsylvania, the NWS said.

At least seven states from Florida to western Pennsylvania are under tornado watches.

"A couple tornadoes are also possible. Multiple lines and clusters of thunderstorms will continue to develop and sweep across the watch area through the afternoon hours," the NWS said.

Potentially damaging winds of up to 70 mph are expected in the severe weather areas, officials said. Slow-moving thunderstorms are also expected to impact several states with the possibility of flash flooding.

ABC News' Daniel Peck

_{Mar 16, 10:00 AM}

Nearly 300,000 without electricity from Georgia to Michigan

At least 289,054 utility customers from Michigan to Georgia were without power Sunday morning, according to the website that tracks power outages nationwide.

Most of the power outages -- 235,654 -- were in Southern states, according to poweroutage.us . More than 54,000 power customers in North Carolina and more than 55,500 in Georgia were without electricity, according to the website.

Power outages were also being experienced in Tennessee, where nearly 27,000 customers were without power; Alabama, where more than 27,000 customers were without electricity; and Mississippi, where more than 10,000 customers were impacted.

More than 61,000 utility customers in Missouri and more than 14,000 in Ohio were without power, according to the power outage tracker. And in Michigan, nearly 40,000 customers were without electricity.

ABC News' Juwon Funes

_{Mar 16, 9:49 AM}

Tornado watch issued for Georgia and the Carolinas

A tornado watch was issued Sunday for southeast Georgia and the Carolinas, according to the National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma.

Damaging winds up to 70 mph and a few tornadoes are possible from Sunday morning to early Sunday afternoon from Savannah, Georgia, and into Charleston and Columbia, South Carolina, and Wilmington, North Carolina, according to the NWS.

"A broken band of thunderstorms will continue east into the Watch area this morning within a weakly unstable airmass with very strong flow aloft," the NWS said. "A greater risk for wind damage along with a threat for a couple of tornadoes."

ABC News' Max Golembo

_{Mar 16, 5:48 AM}

More than 250,000 without power in 8 states

More than 250,000 customers were without power across six states early Sunday, according to Poweroutage.us , a site that tracks energy providers.

About 70,000 customers were without power in Georgia, followed by about 63,000 in Missouri. Another 42,000 were without power in Tennessee, followed by about 37,000 in North Carolina, about 36,000 in Alabama and about 10,000 in Mississippi.

Farther north, about 40,000 in Michigan and about 15,000 in Ohio were without power.

-ABC News’ Charlotte Slovin

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