One of the busiest travel seasons of the year got off to a very rough start as what the National Weather Service called a "particularly dangerous situation" snarled air traffic at major airports in Chicago, Atlanta, New York, Dallas and Washington, D.C.
The weather system, similar to what would be seen in early spring, spawned a series of tornadoes across the country's midsection, killing at least 10, injuring approximately 40 people and disrupting holiday travel for tens of thousands.
A massive twister that traveled at least 150 miles from northern Mississippi and across Tennessee did the most damage, but multiple tornadoes were reported in those states as well as Arkansas. The National Weather Service still needs to verify that the damage can be attributed to the single "long track" tornado, but if confirmed, it could be the longest single tornado on record in the mid-South according to the Memphis office of the weather service.
The Weather Channel reported that the death of a 7-year-old boy in Mississippi was caused by the severe weather. The emergency management director of Benton County, Mississippi confirmed three other deaths, and an 18-year-old woman was killed in Pope County, Arkansas, when a tree fell on her home. Tornado watches are expected to expire in Mississippi by 9 p.m. today.
In Tennessee, Dean Flener of the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency confirmed that three individuals had been killed by the storm. Tennessee declared a state of emergency Wednesday night because it gives the state access to more resources and makes residences aware of the gravity of the situation. More severe weather is expected in the area over the next few days.
A family in Holly Springs, Miss., narrowly escaped the tornado that struck their home, ripping off the roof as they hid in the bathtub. The tornado destroyed an out building and mobile home on their lot. The Weather Channel's Mike Seidell believes it could have been an EF3 tornado.
For holiday travelers trying to get home or to grandma's house, the pain may last longer than the Christmas holiday as more than 100 million people are expected to travel this weekend. Rain, fog and high winds grounded flights and washed out roads, causing havoc from Arkansas to South Carolina. Some areas also saw golf-ball-sized hail.
As the storm tracks to the east, Atlanta and New York City are beginning to experience more flight delays. The FAA reports an estimated 3,642 delays today with 1,363 flights in and out of the U.S. delayed and 438 cancellations. Travelers in and out of airports in Nashville and Chicago are beginning to see flights get back to normal after yesterday's massive delays.
Flooding is expected across much of Georgia and South Carolina Thursday, and the National Weather Service says there is a risk for storms, including tornadoes, damaging rain and winds from Tennessee to the mid-Atlantic region through Christmas day.
The good news is that Santa Clause is not expected to be delayed by the wild weather. Guess Rudolph's nose will come in handy tonight.
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