For the latest forecast information on the severe weather threat click here, and for ongoing coverage of the recovery efforts click here. Stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network and visit AccuWeather.com for additional storm coverage. Watch the video below for a compilation of some of the most intense moments from Wednesday's outbreak of severe weather.

A preliminary assessment of damage suggests that an EF-1 tornado touched down in Lee County, Georgia, near Century. The National Weather Service issued a statement on the tornado at 6:42 p.m. EDT on Thursday. The Enhanced Fujita Scale, or EF Scale, estimates the wind speed of a tornado by categorizing 28 different indicators of damage, such as trees, building types and structures. The scale goes from zero to five. Surveys of the damage will continue over the following days, according to The National Weather Service in Tallahassee.

During a live broadcast from their studio in High Point, North Carolina, the crew of FOX8 were forced to move to their “safe area” as the roof and lights above them began to shake. From the makeup room, the broadcast continued. “I’ve never experienced anything like that,” said FOX8’s Neill McNeill during the continued coverage. “I’ve never heard the roof rattle like that and we have never had to actually leave the studio during a broadcast like we just did, so yeah, this is serious."

Earlier duing the evening, a tornado warning had been issued for the High Point area, and reports over social media have noted damage around High Point. “Just wanted to let everyone know we’re all safe at FOX8 after rotation moved directly over the television station—while we were on the air,” McNeill said in a Facebook post.“In my 35+ years here, I’ve never experienced anything like it. The roof and lights above us started vibrating and it sounded like a train.”

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper issued a state of emergency as the severe weather reached the state on Thursday afternoon. “This emergency will allow movement of trucks and equipment to respond to emergencies, rapidly restore power outages and clear debris after the storm passes,” Cooper said. The intense winds and tornadoes that the storm has spawned across other states has already destroyed homes, downed trees and toppled power lines.

As the storm moves northeastward, tornado and severe thunderstorm warnings began to stretch into areas of North Carolina. One warning stretched across Greensboro, High Point and Archdale, North Carolina. Over all, it stretches across an area where nearly 500,000 people reside. The warning will last until 6 p.m. EDT.

Severe weather risk area shrinks

The Storm Prediction Center once again downgraded the risk for severe thunderstorms across parts of the Southeast on Thursday afternoon. The “enhanced” area shrank to just a portion of the Carolinas as the storm trekked onward, and the majority of Georgia seems to be clear of the threatened area. However, slight risk continues across areas of northern Florida, the Carolinas and into Virginia.

Scammers are taking advantage of the severe weather outbreak and popularity of Alabama WBMA-LD television meteorologist James Spann over social media platforms. “I’ve counted at least 10 of these fake profiles/bots on Facebook today. They are designed to steal personal information,” James Spann noted over Twitter, showing a screenshot from a Facebook post. The post, under the name “James Spann Show,” and bearing his own Twitter profile picture, promises money and an iPhone 11 Pro Max for people randomly chosen.

Storm surveys are still ongoing across the South, but multiple National Weather Service offices have begun to issue preliminary ratings for tornadoes triggered by yesterday's severe storms. The NWS in Birmingham, Alabama, found EF2 tornado damage in Chilton County. That twister was estimated to have peak winds of 130 mph. The NWS in Birmingham also found EF1 damage near the town of Moundville. Officials said that tornado had peak winds of 110 mph. In Mississippi, the NWS in Jackson said an EF1 tornado packing peak winds of 95 mph caused damage in Lincoln County, east of the city of Brookhaven. 

Storm surveys can be a lengthy process, but there's a reason for that, according to Rick Smith, a warning coordination meteorologist with the NWS in Norman, Oklahoma. Smith shared a graphic to Twitter that showed the many steps involved in completing a survey.

The Georgia Emergency Management Agency reported a tornado touchdown shortly before 1:40 p.m. EDT off of June Road in the northwestern area of Pierce County, Georgia. The NWS Storm Prediction Center noted the tornado in its preliminary reports, detailing that so far it had downed four trees, and the EMA is assessing further damage in the area. No injuries were reported. Strong winds were reported across other areas of Georgia, Florida and into Kentucky, having picked up this morning shortly before 9 a.m. EDT. Several reports of downed branches and power lines have been associated with these winds, along with estimated dime-sized hail observed in Carter County, Kentucky, shortly before 2 p.m. EDT.

Shortly after a tornado watch was issued for parts of the Carolinas, a tornado warning was issued that included Spartanburg, South Carolina. As the storm tracks to the northeast, it could cause disruptions along Interstate 85 due to heavy rain and strong winds, even if no tornado actually touches down. People in Charlotte, North Carolina, should monitor the storms closely as the batch of storms that triggered the tornado warning could approach the city in the next few hours.

The tornado warning (bright red) can be seen near Spartanburg, South Carolina, inside of the tornado watch (dark red), on Thursday afternoon. (AccuWeather)

The Storm Prediction Center has downgraded the risk for severe thunderstorms across parts of the Southeast today. The SPC's latest guidance no longer shows a "moderate" threat for parts of the Carolinas. However, the potential for dangerous storms still exists as areas from southeastern Virginia to southeastern Georgia are under an enhanced risk for severe storm development.

Chilton County, Alabama, was one of the hardest-hit areas during Wednesday's severe weather outbreak. A number of homes were damaged or destroyed in the town of Fairfield as tornadoes spun up across the central portion of the state. AccuWeather National Weather Reporter Bill Wadell was on the scene late Wednesday to get a sense of the damage and managed to speak with Chilton County Sheriff John Shearon for an update on the situation. Shearon said it was a "miracle" that no one was seriously hurt. Watch the video below for more.

As the first severe thunderstorms developed on Wednesday, NOAA’s GOES-16 weather satellite focused on the southern U.S. to capture detailed images of the storms. Not only did the satellite spot the supercell thunderstorms igniting, but the satellite's geostationary lightning mapper (GLM) instrument also detected the frequent flashes of lightning over Mississippi and Alabama. This high-resolution satellite loop was recorded from roughly 22,000 miles above the Earth’s surface where GOES-16 orbits the Earth. Track the ongoing severe weather event with AccuWeather's RealVue™ Satellite.

The GOES-16 weather satellite captures severe thunderstorms erupting over Mississippi and Alabama on March 17, 2021. (Image/NOAA)

Nearly 4 million people are under a new tornado watch that has been issued for parts of Florida, Georgia and South Carolina as the threat of severe weather increases. The new tornado watch is in effect until 6 p.m. EDT Thursday. People from Jacksonville, Florida, through Charleston, South Carolina, will need to keep a close eye on the weather and check the AccuWeather app to receive severe weather alerts that are issued in their area.

Sunrise over weather-damaged properties at the intersection of County Road 24 and 37 in Clanton, Ala., the morning following a large outbreak of severe storms across the southeast, Thursday, March 18, 2021. Possible tornadoes knocked down trees, toppled power lines and damaged homes in multiple locations across the state of Alabama. (AP Photo/Vasha Hunt)

More than 350 severe weather reports have been tallied from Texas to Georgia as of Thursday morning, as a multi-day severe weather outbreak continues to impact the southern U.S. Strong winds have accounted for nearly half of the storm reports, which is in addition to the 26 tornadoes that have caused damage and disruptions across the region. The National Weather Service has issued 237 warnings and counting with that number potentially approaching 300 later today as severe weather targets the eastern U.S. into Wednesday evening.

When severe weather is approaching, a NOAA Weather Radio can alert people of severe weather watches and warnings, but one area of North Carolina may not be able to depend on this emergency alert system on Thursday. A radio transmitter near Raleigh, North Carolina, is currently out of service, meaning that people in and around the city will need to use another method to receive alerts, such as tornado warnings. Folks with a smartphone can download the free AccuWeather App to receive these emergency alerts for their area, as well as using it to track the storms on radar and to see the minute-by-minute rainfall forecast.

In the latest edition of AccuWeather's Weather Insider podcast, AccuWeather Chief On-Air Meteorologist Bernie Rayno recaps some of the volatile weather from Wednesday while also discussing some of the areas at risk for widespread damaging storms today. He also looks at where some snow could fall across the country later today. Some locations could even receive up to half a foot of snow. Give it a listen below.

The severe thunderstorms from Wednesday are continuing to advance eastward with a line of storms tracking across southwestern Georgia and the Florida Panhandle. Travelers on Interstate 10 around Tallahassee, Florida, could face disruptions through the morning commute as the storms move through the area. The storms also have the potential to spin up a brief tornado with a tornado watch in effect for the area until 1 p.m. EDT.

A radar-confirmed tornado has been spotted on the ground near Dothan, Alabama, according to a tweet from the NWS office in Tallahassee. Debris from the tornado was seen on radar being lofted with the rotation of a thunderstorm near Dothan and is moving northeast at 35 mph according to Dothan/Houston County's Emergency Management Agency.

About 30 homes in the Mount Olive area of Birmingham, Alabama, have been damaged by falling trees and debris following Wednesday’s severe weather, according WVTM13. Another 30 houses were damaged in the Waterbury area of Moundville, five of which were severely damaged. No individuals in either location were seriously injured, according to reports, although the cleanup efforts will take days. Survey teams from the NWS will be out assessing the damage on Thursday to confirm and classify the suspected tornadoes.

An early-morning tornado warning has Alabama residents in southeastern Crenshaw County taking shelter early Thursday morning. The warning was released at 4 a.m. CDT and covered the areas of Brantley and Glenwood.

Farther south, severe thunderstorm warnings have also been issued for areas of southern Alabama and the Florida panhandle. The storm threats include wind gusts up to 60 mph and penny-sized hail over the areas.

Following the severe weather from Missouri to Alabama on Wednesday, the focus of severe weather will shift northward to the Carolinas on Thursday. Wind gusts of up 70 mph could cause trees and power lines to topple. Although the threat for tornadoes is slightly lower than Thursday, cities such as Wilmington, North Carolina, and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, will be at risk for a tornado or two on Thursday.

Power outages have climbed to over 24,400 in Alabama, according to PowerOutage.us. Elsewhere, power outages are under 9,000 in other states that have been affected by severe weather on Wednesday and Wednesday night.

Visit the AccuWeather Ready page for tips on staying safe in severe weather.

If severe weather is expected and a person or family has the time and resources to evacuate, they’re urged to leave as soon as possible, said Jack Plaxe, a security, crisis and risk management expert. “Take your emergency go kit and evacuate far out of the path of the storm so that you aren’t impacted by high winds, rain, flooding [or other dangerous conditions],” Plaxe said. However, there may be times when emergency management officials may advise people to seek shelter where they are. There are also cases of people choosing to ignore mandatory evacuation orders for a variety of reasons. “If you don’t have time to get out, sheltering in place is probably the best option,” Plaxe said.

Tips for safely sheltering in place:

• Go to a pre-designated shelter area such as a safe room, basement, storm cellar or the lowest building level.

• If there is no basement, go to the center of an interior room on the lowest level (closet or interior hallway) away from corners, windows, doors and outside walls.

• Areas like bathrooms or closets are typically the best options for sheltering inside a home for avoiding flying debris.

• Put as many walls as possible between you and the outside. Get under a sturdy table and use pillows, blankets or other cushions to protect your head and neck.

• If you decide to go outside after the severe weather has passed, experts caution against walking or driving through standing water, as dangers could be lurking beneath the surface.

Visit the AccuWeather Ready page for more preparedness tips.

Twisters are one of the most destructive weather events on Earth, but they pose an even greater risk when they strike at night, so having a plan in place is crucial. One of the simplest and most important preparations anyone can make is to install the free AccuWeather app on a smartphone and ensure that push notifications are turned on, the volume is turned up and your cellphone is charged. It's also wise to have a battery-powered weather radio, a flashlight, bottled water and closed-toed shoes. Blankets or even a mattress can be used to shield your body and head from flying debris. A helmet can also offer protection for your head. “Everyone in the household should be aware of where their safe location is, which can be a designated tornado shelter," said Becky DePodwin, a meteorologist and emergency preparedness specialist at AccuWeather. She listed "the basement [in places that are] away from windows, an interior stairwell, or interior bathroom” as the best locations for sheltering during a tornado. Pets should also be included in emergency plans and be brought to a shelter with you when a warning is issued, she added. Parents should talk with their children about where the safe locations are in the home and practice getting to them quickly so there is no hesitation when a tornado warning is issued.

Visit the AccuWeather Ready page for more preparedness tips.

Nearly two dozen tornadoes have been reported from Missouri to Alabama, according to NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center as of Wednesday evening, causing property damage and disrupting the lives of millions across the region. Moundville, Alabama, located south of Tuscaloosa, was one of the hardest-hit communities on Wednesday afternoon with several buildings and homes being severely damaged by the storms. AccuWeather News Reporter Bill Wadell was in Fairview, Alabama, on Wednesday evening to see some of the damage first-hand. Major damage was reported, but Chilton County Sheriff John Sharon told Wadell that everyone is safe and has been accounted for. "Seeing the amount of damage that you have, I mean homes just totally destroyed, it’s a miracle that everybody is okay here,” Shearon told Wadell. More damaging storms are likely into Wednesday night before the focus of the severe weather shifts to the Carolinas on Thursday.

Severe weather sparks tornadoes across large part of the South

One home was destroyed and two people were injured near Campbell, Alabama, as severe thunderstorms moved through the area, the National Weather Service said in a tweet. Two tornado-warned storms tracked through the area late Wednesday afternoon, accompanied by gusty winds, frequent lightning and heavy rain. Four other homes in the area were also damaged during the storms, but the extent of the damage is unclear. People around Campbell will have a brief break in the storms to clean up before another round of storms sweeps through early Wednesday night.

It’s important to remember your furry friends during extreme weather or disaster situations. PETA said pet owners should have an animal emergency kit readily available, make sure your animals are microchipped and wearing identification. If you must evacuate, take your animals with you and never tie them up outside.

The loud roar of passing thunderstorms and other loud noises can spark fear in many animals, causing extreme anxiety for pets. “Being afraid of thunderstorms is just a form of noise phobia,” Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Lauren Connolly said, adding that symptoms from dogs are often more noticeable than those exhibited by cats. “(Cats) can also be afraid of loud noises and storms,” Connolly said. “They often will go and hide under a bed or behind a couch. Because they are not as destructive as dogs, their fear often goes unnoticed.” Connolly said there are several techniques to calm an animal during severe weather. In order to help animals cope, pet owners can look for different solutions such as calming methods, conditioning and stress relief gear.

It is a busy day inside the National Weather Service office in Birmingham, Alabama, as a team of meteorologists monitors the severe weather outbreak across the region. Multiple twisters have been reported across central Alabama today, but amid the persistent threat of severe weather, one member of the office took a moment to share what it looks like behind the scenes. “We are fully staffed throughout this weather event,” the office said in a tweet. “We're working with broadcast meteorologists and emergency managers to help keep everyone updated and aid in response.” In a photo that the office shared, meteorologists can be seen working in front of multiple screens at the same time to monitor severe thunderstorms and to alert the public of impending tornadoes.

Meteorologists hard at work in the National Weather Service office in Birmingham, Alabama, on March 17, 2021. (Photo/NWS Birmingham)

A severe storm capable of spinning up a tornado tracked almost directly over Tuscaloosa, Alabama, on Wednesday afternoon, forcing people all across the city to seek shelter. This came right on the heels of another storm that spun up a large and dangerous twister that tracked just southeast of the city. The University of Alabama told students to shelter in place as the storms hit the area. One student documented what it was like in one of the storm shelters on campus with what appeared to be hundreds of people packed into a large room, many of whom were wearing face coverings. Watch the video from inside the shelter below:

Multiple tornadoes have been confirmed in Alabama, including one near the town of Cooper that AccuWeather’s Bill Wadell spotted around 2 p.m. CDT. Wadell reported that this tornado did not cause injuries or serious damage, but did note that poor cellphone service is slowing down some storm reports.

Incredibly dangerous situation unfolding in Alabama. AccuWeather's Bill Wadell witnessed a tornado on the ground near Cooper around 2 p.m. CDT, Wednesday, March 17, 2021.

AccuWeather / Bill Wadell

A “large and extremely dangerous tornado” tracked just south of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, between 3:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. CDT, the National Weather Service reported, tracking over a portion of Interstate 20. The tornado is still on the ground and is approaching Brookwood, Alabama. Ping pong ball-sized hail may also cause property damage around the storm.

Residents of northeastern Oklahoma, northwestern Arkansas and far southwestern Missouri will need to pay close attention to changing weather conditions with a new tornado watch being issued for the area. This is northwest of the other tornado watches currently in effect across the south-central US. The latest tornado watch includes Tulsa, Oklahoma, Fayetteville, Arkansas, and areas just south of Springfield, Missouri, and is in effect until 8 p.m. CDT.

When looking a weather radar, do you know what to look for in order to recognize a tornado? As the use of the technology has expanded, knowing what features and shapes to look for in a radar image could prove life-saving. According to AccuWeather Meteorologist and Staff Writer Brian Lada, a developing thunderstorm can begin to rotate and form a hook shape that can appear on the edge of a storm. As that thunderstorm intensifies, the hook can become more prominent in that area and spawn a tornado.

The use of a correlation coefficient (CC) shows meteorologists the size and shapes of objects in the atmosphere. An area with low CC values, which often appears as a small blue circle, indicates a tornado’s “debris ball” as it lifts objects. In order to be a radar-confirmed tornado, it's important to determine how close that debris ball is to the rotation of the storm, which can also be measured by radar, Lada said. By measuring the velocity of objects in the atmosphere, the rotation can be detected and appear as a red area on a radar image. “If the radar shows a strong area of rotation and a debris ball in the same area, it is a strong signature that there is a tornado occurring,” Lada said.

With regard to the current severe weather outbreak, AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski said storm cells on radar "are getting that classic 'hook-echo' shape now."

These four images show a radar-confirmed tornado tracking over Cairo, Georgia, on March 3, 2019. The top left image shows the rainfall, the top right shows the correlation coefficient, and the bottom two images show the storm’s velocity, or spin. The tornado tracked where the blue dot appeared on the top right image and was eventually rated an EF2 with winds of 120-mph and is to blame for two injuries. (Image/NWS Tallahassee)

Around 1:45 p.m. local time, the National Weather Service in Birmingham said a tornado debris signature was showing up on radar near the town of Burnsville. A possible tornado was also reported by the NWS near the town of West Selmont shortly after 12 p.m CDT. Emergency management officials in Mississippi also reported damage to homes from a possible tornado shortly after 12 p.m. local time near the town of Whistler, Mississippi, located about 50 miles northeast of Hattiesburg. Below is a photo of the damage left behind in Wayne County, Mississippi.

Tornadoes are not the only risk associated with the severe storms impacting the South today. Flooding will pose a risk for several states on Wednesday. The threat for flash flooding can occur before and during thunderstorms. Some flooding risks include reduced visibility and travel delays throughout the day.

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey issued a state of emergency for all counties in the state on Tuesday ahead of a sever weather threat that will impact the area. As a result, many schools have announced closures for Wednesday. These closures include the University of Alabama, Birmingham City Schools, University of North Alabama, and Athens City Schools, according to WBHM. The University of Alabama has opened storm shelters for those needing it. Dozens of other districts have also canceled classes.

Parts of Alabama and Mississippi are under a heightened alert for long-lived and intense tornadoes known as a "particularly dangerous situation" tornado watch that has just been issued. This rare type of watch indicates that numerous tornadoes are expected and a few intense tornadoes are likely. This wording can also accompany severe thunderstorm watches, the NWS said. Cities included in this watch zone include Jackson, Mississippi, and Tuscaloosa and Birmingham, Alabama.

(Photo/National Weather Service)

Storms track across the South early on March 17, 2021.

Tornado watches continue to pop up across the South. Watches are currently covering parts of five states, including Texas, Arkansas, Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, and Tennessee.

Tornado watches are meant to give the public advance notice that there is a developing risk for tornadoes and a need to remain vigilant. Tornado warnings are issued minutes before a storm capable of producing a tornado approaches a certain area, and urge residents take immediate action to seek shelter.

AccuWeather National Weather Reporter Bill Wadell is in Birmingham, Alabama, preparing for today's severe weather danger. The state has a history of devastating severe weather and as Wadell reports, more families are looking to get storm shelters installed on their properties. Wadell said some of the shelters can fit anywhere from three to 36 people. Watch his report below for more on this story.

AccuWeather Chief On-Air Meteorologist Bernie Rayno says it's time to be "weather aware" as the severe weather danger ramps across the southern U.S. Bernie highlights the forecast for volatile weather for Wednesday and Thursday and discusses which locations will have the highest risk for tornadoes. Hear more from Rayno in the latest edition of AccuWeather's Weather Insider podcast.

For the first time since May 2019, the National Weather Service's Storm Prediction Center is warning that there is a high risk for severe thunderstorms. A high risk is the highest level on the SPC's five-tier severe weather outlook system. Cities in the high risk area currently include Birmingham, Tuscaloosa, and Hoover, Alabama, as well as Jackson and Meridian, Mississippi. The population in the high risk area is more than 2.8 million, according to the SPC. This is also the first high risk advisory to be issued in March since 2012.

As the southern portion of the U.S. continues to prepare for an outbreak in severe weather, AccuWeather meteorologists are stressing for residents to remain aware of these four tornado characteristics this week: their number, the distance they travel, their intensity and the time at which they take place. “Tornadoes are likely to be numerous, violent, long-tracking and last through much of the nighttime hours,” AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski warned.This combination of factors can spell foran increased risk to lives and property, especially as nighttime tornadoes pose a greater risk, under the cover of darkness. Here are a few ways to stay safe during this severe weather event:

• Install the free AccuWeather app on a smartphone and ensure that push notifications are turned on and the volume is turned up

• Have a battery-powered weather radio on hand

• Equip yourself with a flashlight, bottled water, closed-toed shoes and a big blanket

• Prepare a designated tornado shelter