What shaped up as one of the more widespread tornado outbreaks in some time swept across a broad swath of the Central United States on Friday.
Amid the first high risk for tornadoes since March 2021, large and damaging twisters were reported in Arkansas, including the city of Little Rock, as well as Iowa and elsewhere. As of early Saturday, 65 reports of tornadoes were logged across seven states. Illinois had the most, with 23.
Thus far nine people have been confirmed killed in the storms.
Going into Friday, there were at least 23 confirmed tornado deaths this month, all from March 24, and a majority from the Rolling Fork, MS. EF4. This was tied for 10th most on record in March since U.S. modern tornado records began in 1950. This month may climb into the top 5 range for March as numbers are finalized, despite a relatively quiet first two thirds of it.
Two primary zones of tornadic activity occurred. One ran from Arkansas through Tennessee and northern parts of Mississippi/Alabama.
The other focused on Iowa, Wisconsin and Illinois, while miraculously leaving the Chicago area alone.
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The twister quickly popped up near sunset and rapidly turned violent.
