A tornado outbreak that started in the Mississippi River Valley Friday night is expected to continue on Saturday.
The Storm Prediction Center issued a rare "high risk" of severe weather for parts of the South, including Birmingham, Alabama, and Jackson, Mississippi. The "high risk" designation is generally given to one or two storm systems a year.
"A prolific severe weather event is expected today, with multiple rounds of supercells likely through the afternoon hours. Given the parameter space, tornadoes associated with these supercells will have the capacity to be violent and long-lived," the National Weather Service said Saturday morning.
The storms are being fueled by unseasonably warm and humid weather ahead of a cold front. Other dynamics are helping to combine for what could be one of the most violent tornado outbreaks of 2025.
The outbreak began on Friday as the National Weather Service had nearly two dozen reports of tornadoes in the Mississippi Valley. Crews will begin assessing damage on Saturday to confirm whether tornadoes caused the damage.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported that a likely tornado struck Rolla, where numerous buildings were destroyed.
Tornadoes were also reported in Carroll County, Mississippi, where several buildings were destroyed, and a tractor-trailer was overturned.
