Severe Side of Winter Storm Gemini: State-By-State Impacts

December 22,2013

 

 

 

 

 

Saturday's severe weather outbreak, which swept across the central and southern U.S., brought tornadoes and wind gusts that ripped roofs from barns and hurled trees into power lines, officials said. The storm system was blamed for the deaths of at least 8 people.
The threat for severe weather will lessen on Sunday, but there will still be damaging wind gusts from the eastern Gulf Coast region to the Mid-Atlantic states. Additionally, flood watches have been announced from Georgia to Virginia.
"This storm has summer-like amounts of Gulf moisture and winter-like atmospheric dynamics," said weather.com meteorologist Nick Wiltgen. "The combination has wrung out extraordinary amounts of rainfall – 3 to 10 inches Saturday alone – over a very large area. We'll be watching rivers rise for days as all this water runs off."
(FORECAST: Severe Weather Outbreak)Below is a state-by-state look at this weekend's severe weather impacts.

Arkansas

In Arkansas, authorities said Sunday that a woman was killed after an EF2 tornado with winds of about 130 mph struck in St. Francis County on Saturday. A man found in a field was hospitalized in serious condition, while the woman's 3-year-old granddaughter and 25-year-old daughter were treated at a hospital.
David Cox, a National Weather Service meteorologist based in Jackson, Miss., said another apparent tornado struck near Dermott, Ark., which is in far southwest of the state. Two people were injured in that strike and about 20 homes were damaged, he said.
The Crittenden County Sheriff's office said vehicles were pushed off of Interstate 40 just west of West Memphis by what may have been powerful straight-line winds.
About 1,200 customers of Entergy Arkansas remained without power Sunday afternoon.

Indiana

The National Weather Service posted flood warnings along southern and central Indiana streams and predicted the highest flood crests along the East Fork of the White River since April 2011.
In Indianapolis, firefighters rescued a Michigan family of four who drove into high waters following heavy rainfall.
Authorities say a Michigan family of four who drove into high waters following heavy weekend rains was rescued from their swamped car by Indianapolis firefighters. A dive team used a boat to rescue 51-year-old Douglas Nieske, his 53-year-old wife, Sonia, and the couple's 19-year-old and 21-year-old daughters about 2 a.m. Sunday.

Kentucky

In Kentucky, five people were killed in flooding caused by the storm system. The bodies of three people were pulled from Rolling Fork River on Sunday after their vehicle was swept away by floodwaters, a fourth person drowned in Carroll County after a four-wheeler overturned in high water, and a body was discovered in Ballard County near a car abandoned in a flooded ditch.
None of the victims have been identified.
Flood advisories remain in effect for parts of the state.

Louisiana

Strong winds and even reports of small tornadoes swept into northern Louisiana Saturday, however, no injuries have been reported.
Tens of thousands of residents lost electricity after strong gusts of up to 60 mph — nearly tornado strength — and heavy rain whipped the northern part of the state.
High winds ripped the front facade off the Books-a-Million bookstore in Monroe. The area in front of the store was full of storm debris.
To the northwest in Union Parish, Sheriff Dusty Gates said damage was widespread across the parish of 28,000 residents. Trees fell on houses, across roads and on power lines. No injuries were reported by late Saturday, although some areas were cut off and not accessible due to bad weather conditions.
National Weather Service meteorologist Bill Parker says a possible tornado hit the town of Downsville mid-afternoon on Saturday. The Weather Service has yet to confirm it was a twister.

Mississippi

The severe storm system dumped more than an inch of rain in Mississippi, along with blowing down trees and power lines. Two deaths were blamed on the weather, and several others were reported injured across the state.
In Coahoma County, Coroner Scotty Meredith said John Sanders died when his mobile home in Rena Lara was blown over. Sanders was asleep inside the mobile home in the Rena Lara community when it blew over, pinning him between the mobile home and a tree. In Jasper County, a man died after his car hit a tree that had fallen across the road near Heidelberg.
At the storm's height, more than 22,000 people lost power in northern Mississippi. That number began to fall late Saturday night as electricity was restored.
In Senatobia, wind caused a roof fell in at a fitness center on one end of a shopping center near Interstate 55.
Another area of damage was near Lula. Tunica County Emergency Management Director Randy Stewart said a church and four homes were damaged, while a mobile home was destroyed.
Damage to trees or structures was also reported in more than a dozen other counties.

Ohio

A flood warning has been issued for the Great Miami River in western Ohio at Sidney and Troy along the Interstate 75 corridor.
The level could reach flood stage by late Saturday and stay elevated through Monday.

Tennessee

Weather officials say power has been restored to most homes affected by Saturday's storm.
The worst hit area was probably in Middle Tennessee, where more than 19,000 residents went to bed without power Saturday night.
Angie Lese, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, said there were several funnel cloud sightings on Saturday, but no reports of touchdowns.
Weather advisories for most of the state were canceled Sunday.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
MORE: Severe Weather Impacts By State

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Arkansas

A photo submitted to The Weather Channel Facebook page shows flooding in Pine Bluff, Ark. (Ronny Buckner/Facebook)