A large supercell tornado was spotted west of Memphis, Tennessee on Wednesday. Sirens went off in the city, warning residents of a twister hitting populated areas. The National Weather Service, meanwhile, warned that multiple ‘large and extremely dangerous’ tornadoes have impacted parts of eastern Arkansas – in Lake City and Monette.
Photos shared on social media showed extensive damage in Lake City, Arkansas shortly after a tornado passed near the town. Local radio station The Eagle 100.5 confirmed that a highway between Lake City and Monette was closed. The area is about 55 miles from Memphis.
Read More: Lake City tornado: Video shows violent twister on ground, Monette on alert
Locals shared visuals of a tornado they spotted near Memphis. ABC 24 reported that the possible twister was spotted by a traffic camera during live weather coverage. The outlet added that reporters saw a large funnel, ‘illuminated at times by lightning and power flashes’.
Posting a video on social media, one person wrote: “About as bad as it can get- every developing thunderstorm is showing strong rotation. We knew the Memphis area was gonna be the worst spot- ample moisture, slight shear and a prominent low level jet.”
“Dangerous storms moving into the Memphis metro… the tornado threat will remain north and west of Alabama tonight,” another local warned on X, platform formerly known as Twitter.
Read More: Jonesboro tornado: When will twister hit after spotting in Lake City, Monette in Arkansas? Details
NWS tornado warning for millions
Earlier in the day, the NWS issued warnings for flash flooding, high-magnitude tornadoes and baseball-sized hail for parts of the Midwest and South. Tornado warnings were issued in Arkansas, Illinois, Missouri and Mississippi.
The potent storm system will bring “significant, life-threatening flash flooding” each day through Saturday, the National Weather Service said.
With more than a foot (30 centimeters) of rain possible over the next four days, the prolonged deluge “is an event that happens once in a generation to once in a lifetime,” the weather service said in one of its flood warnings. “Historic rainfall totals and impacts are possible.”
