Severe weather moves east after tornadoes, winds, wildfires kill at least 39 people

Unusually erratic and damaging weather system brings thunderstorms, hail, damaging winds, and tornadoes across the U.S. Southeast and Mid-Atlantic.

A dynamic storm that prompted foreboding predictions of dangerous weekend weather spawned tornadoes, dust storms and wildfires that killed at least 39 people and destroyed hundreds of homes and businesses.

The weakening but still volatile weather system was moving Monday (March 17, 2025) into the U.S. Southeast and Mid-Atlantic, bringing thunderstorms, hail, damaging winds and the potential for more tornadoes.

Here’s what to know about the unusually erratic and damaging weather.

Forecasters warned of dangerous winds from Florida all the way north to New Jersey, while heavy rain was likely across New York and New England.

A tornado watch was in effect until early Monday (March 17, 2025) for a large swath of North Carolina and Virginia, with gusts potentially reaching 70 mph (112.65 kmph) and possible hail the size of ping pong balls, according to the National Weather Service office in Blacksburg, Virginia.

The massive storm that began Friday (March 14, 2025) earned an unusual “high risk” designation from meteorologists. Still, experts said it’s not unusual to see such weather extremes in March.

In Tylertown, Mississippi, tornadoes ripped tall trees in half and wiped out entire neighbourhoods. Six people were killed and more than 200 were displaced, Governor Tate Reeves said.