A large outbreak of severe weather completely devastated a widespread portion of the United States on Monday night, which extends from the Gulf coast all the way to the Tennessee Valley. This severe weather also extended into Tuesday morning as well. These storms turned deadly quite quickly, producing an EF2 tornado that created widespread power outages, as well as causing extensive and some irreparable damage to homes and businesses alike.

Severe weather in October isn’t unheard of, but they usually aren’t this large with multiple confirmed tornadoes and an abundance of wind damage. One person has been reported dead and four others were injured in Arkansas after the storms made their way through the state. Also, a woman in Alabama passed away after a tree crashed down into her mobile home in the midst of the destructive storms.

This severe weather outbreak was only the beginning of this system, and heavy rain will blast through the Ohio Valley, while severe thunderstorms continue to devastate the Southeast.

So what is responsible for this powerful system? It was created due to a cold front and a small area of upper-level energy, and it is created a line of very powerful thunderstorms that extends from Columbia (South Carolina) to Jacksonville (Florida) on Tuesday.

There is a squall line that is expected to move through eastern parts of the Ohio and Tennessee Valleys, and it will most likely bring with it gusty winds and will keep the strong winds in place. Any residents living in the areas that are in the path of the storm should be prepared for downed trees as well as power outages as these storms rage through their area.

Along with the strong and damaging winds, heavy downpours will also accompany the storms which could more than likely lead to flash flooding in some communities. Anybody who is operating a vehicle should be very cautious if they are caught in a storm, and should never try to cross a flooded pathway. Alternative routes may also need to be sought out in case of road closures.

Tornadoes cannot be ruled out yet, because the squall line is more than capable of producing a strong tornado. Very heavy rain will also stretch all the way to eastern Great Lakes region, and it may be accompanied by gusty winds, although the severe threat won’t be too high. Flooding may still arise from the heavy rainfall unfortunately. If the storm strains are blocked by fallen leaves that haven’t been removed, they can overwhelm the drains and it can lead to flooding of residential areas.

As for the Southeast, it will be dry, cooler, and less humid on Wednesday. Windswept rain will affect areas that are farther east though, and this includes New York, the eastern Carolinas, and Pennsylvania as well.
As the system moves through the central United States, the temperatures will definitely drop, but a cold plunge isn’t expected. Warmer and more pleasant temperatures will then move into the East later in the week after this system has moved out.