4 dead, thousands remain without power as tornadoes, storms slam Southeast

At least four people are dead and several wounded after tornadoes slammed through parts of Texas and the Southeast as severe weather gripped much of the nation, delaying or canceling thousands of weekend flights and leaving tens of thousands of residents without power Sunday.

"Severe thunderstorms and embedded heavy rainfall will affect most of the eastern states," the National Weather Service warned. "Meanwhile, an atmospheric river continues for the west with heavy precipitation, strong winds and dangerous high surf conditions."

The same weather system that produced heavy storms and a swarm of tornadoes in the south-central U.S. will target the Northeast into Monday, AccuWeather said, adding that enough rain, wind and fog will descend on the region to impede travel ahead of the New Year's holiday.

More than three dozen tornadoes were reported from Texas to Georgia on Friday and Saturday, and the unsettled weather could continue, AccuWeather warned. The National Weather Service said at least 19 tornadoes were reported in Mississippi alone.

By Sunday evening, over 96,000 homes and businesses in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, and Florida, were without power, according to tracking website PowerOutage.us. Earlier Sunday, almost 200,000 customers were without power.

More than 20,000 flights in the U.S. were delayed or canceled on Saturday and Sunday, according to the tracking site FlightAware. Most of the flight delays were in and out of Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta, Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, and George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston.

In a wide swath of the Southeast and East, warm and humid conditions could help fuel more severe weather, AccuWeather said. New York reached 61 degrees Sunday, Philadelphia saw 63 degrees and Washington, D.C., was approaching 65 degrees.

In the West, the Weather Prediction Center warned that an "atmospheric river (will) produce heavy rain/snow across much of the Northwest today."

Wind gusts of up to 150 mph in the high elevations of the Tahoe Basin in California and 50 mph at lower elevations hit the area this weekend. Heavy rainfall was forecast from San Francisco to Portland, Oregon, forecasters said. Up to 6 inches of rain could fall before New Year's Eve and up to 3 feet of snow in Lake Tahoe, forecasters said.

“Damaging winds could blow down trees and power lines,” the Weather Service warned. “Widespread power outages are possible.”

Severe weather damages homes, causes trees to fall

That weather system was blamed for one death Saturday in Brazoria County, Texas, about 45 miles south of Houston, according to the Brazoria County Sheriff's Office. The sheriff's office said four others in the county suffered non-critical injuries.

Many homes and schools were severely damaged or destroyed, officials said. Images and videos shared on social media showed scattered ruins of homes and snapped trees and utility poles strewn across streets and lawns.

In Katy Texas, 30 miles west of Houston, social media posts appear to show a funnel cloud and numerous damaged homes. North Katy resident Toby Azemohor told click2kouston.com he heard a racket outside his home and went to check on his car.

“I was sleeping,” Azemohor said. “All of a sudden, I was hearing the rain and ... when I came out, it was flipped over.”

In North Carolina, a 70-year-old man was killed Sunday morning in Iredell County, just north of Charlotte, state troopers told WBTV and Queen City News. The man died after a tree fell on his pickup truck while he drove through heavy rain, according to the television stations.

Travelers beware: Severe weather forecast says storms, tornadoes and snow

2 deaths, several injuries reported in Mississippi

Two fatalities were reported in Mississippi over the weekend, according to Gov. Tate Reeves. Several other injuries were reported in the state, including two in Franklin and Simpson County, and four in Wayne County, Reeves added.

One person was killed in Natchez, Mississippi, after a tree fell on a home. Two other people were injured in the incident, according to Reeves.

"Please pray for them and their families during this incredibly difficult time," Reeves said in a statement early Sunday.

A second fatality was reported in Lowndes County on Sunday, Reeves said in an update on social media. The governor also noted that damage assessments remained ongoing and preliminary assessments indicate that at least 14 counties sustained damage.

"Crews are working to restore power as quickly as possible. The state of Mississippi will continue to monitor the situation and respond as necessary," Reeves said. "Thank you to all of the emergency managers, first responders, and road and line crews who are working hard to help their fellow Mississippians."

Contributing: Mississippi Clarion Ledger staff; Reuters

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Weather updates: 4 dead as tornadoes, storms slam Southeast