Rare December tornadoes have swept across the southern United States, with at least 40 reports from Texas to Alabama over the Christmas period, claiming two lives. The storms, which struck on Saturday, caused widespread damage, downing power lines and grounding travel.
In Texas, one person died in the Liverpool area, south of Houston, and four others suffered non-critical injuries. Multiple touchdown points were reported in Brazoria County, with around 10 homes damaged. In Mississippi, one fatality occurred in Adams County and two people were injured in Franklin County.
The National Weather Service confirmed two tornadoes hit near Bude and Brandon, Mississippi, ripping roofs off buildings. At least six tornadoes touched down in the Houston area, damaging mobile homes in Katy and Porter Heights. A fire station in Porter Heights had its doors blown in.
Meteorologist Frank Pereira noted that while such a severe outbreak is uncommon this late in the year, it is not unheard of. The storms are expected to continue moving east, with severe weather risks diminishing by Sunday evening. Wind gusts of up to 60 mph were forecast for parts of South Carolina.
Power outages affected tens of thousands across the region, with nearly 65,000 customers without power in Mississippi at one point. Flight disruptions were significant, with over 15,000 delays and 612 cancellations reported. The National Weather Service has issued severe thunderstorm warnings for portions of the Deep South.
