A significant multiday severe weather outbreak is on the horizon, sparking alerts for tens of millions across more than 25 states as powerful thunderstorms are expected to produce large hail, damaging wind gusts, and even some tornadoes starting this Friday, March 14, 2025.
The FOX Forecast Center has raised concerns, particularly for the weekend, when conditions may intensify. According to NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center (SPC), incidents of strong to severe thunderstorms are already forecasted for Wednesday and Thursday across areas of the Ark-La-Tex, Deep South, and Gulf Coast. The threat is particularly palpable for over 4 million residents of southeastern Oklahoma, northeastern Texas, western Arkansas, and northwestern Louisiana, who are currently under a level 2 out of 5 risk of severe thunderstorms.
On Wednesday, March 12, the SPC identified parts of the southern Plains and lower Mississippi Valley as key areas to watch, raising concerns about large hail and damaging winds. Forecasters noted the potential for supercell thunderstorms to develop, amplifying the threat of severe weather. The forecast indicates the pronounced risk will transition on Thursday to eastern Mississippi, Alabama, western Georgia, and the western Florida Panhandle, with cities like Montgomery, Tuscaloosa, and Birmingham also under close scrutiny.
Friday marks the escalation of the severe weather threat, with the possibility of activity peaking during the afternoon and continuing overnight through areas like St. Louis, Memphis, and Little Rock, which may face the highest risks. More than 13 million people will find themselves under a level 3 out of 5 threat as the low-pressure system intensifies across the central U.S.
On Saturday, March 15, the storm system will shift eastward, affecting even more individuals, particularly from the Gulf Coast to the southern Great Lakes. The SPC issued warnings for over 18 million people spanning from Louisiana to the Tennessee Valley, placing major cities such as New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Birmingham, Montgomery, and Atlanta at increased risk for severe thunderstorms.
Throughout the Southeast, meteorologists are concerned about how the atmosphere will destabilize, which will play a key role in determining the severity of the weather conditions. A corridor rich with Gulf moisture setting up from central Mississippi to northern Alabama is expected to contribute to this volatile scenario.
Going beyond the southern states, Sunday, March 16, will see substantial concern for another swath of severe weather impacting nearly 45 million people along the East Coast, extending from northern Florida to New Jersey. Particularly, the heavily traveled Interstate 95 corridor will be under watchful eyes for damaging winds, as the SPC categorized this area under level 2 out of 5 risk for severe weather.
While the potential for tornadoes and hail drops, forecasters still warn of the possibility of damaging wind gusts, with affected cities including Savannah, Charleston, Raleigh, Richmond, Washington, Baltimore, and Philadelphia.
Beyond the immediate impact, this storm system raises significant alarm about how late winter storms can sweep across the country, mirroring patterns typical of the spring months. The jet stream's progression, combined with moist air flowing from the Gulf of Mexico, creates the conditions necessary for severe thunderstorm development, including potential tornadoes.
This brewing weather scenario follows the wake of midweek storms, which had already begun to exhibit the potential for severe weather across parts of Arkansas, Texas, and Oklahoma. Severe thunderstorm activity was recorded on Wednesday, March 12, with some hailstones reported to be as large as golf balls, and even baseballs, together with wind gusts reaching upwards of 80 mph.
Major metro areas like Shreveport, Little Rock, Dallas, and Memphis were already placed at risk for severe thunderstorms midweek, with early indications of limited but impactful downpours and violent conditions continuing through Thursday, March 13, before the primary severe weather event began on Friday.
Meanwhile, Southern California has also been facing challenges due to heavy rainfall and the threat of mudslides following recent wildfires. Weather officials issued evacuation warnings for residents near burn scars, highlighting the wide-ranging impacts of this weather system across different regions of the country.
With forecasts consistently highlighting risks ranging from severe thunderstorms to the potential for flash flooding, authorities urge residents to stay informed, keep evacuation routes planned, and have safety protocols ready for when severe weather strikes.
Whether affected by hail, wind, flooding, or even tornadoes, Americans across multiple states must remain vigilant and prepared as they face what promises to be one of the more severe weather outbreaks of the early spring season.