Overnight severe storms, more Wednesday

This was a live blog, updated every hour as a multi-day severe weather outbreak gets underway for the South. You can track the storms using our WeatherRadar and our team of meteorologists continues to track weather happening across the nation, check out our News stream section.

Did you know that nocturnal tornadoes are two times more deadly? Unfortunately, tonight will likely be a tornadic night across parts of central Louisiana. Conditions will continue to be favorable for tornadoes as there will be plenty of moisture and rotating winds with height. The threat will increase after 1 a.m. CT for western Mississippi. By sunrise, storms will extend from Baton Rouge through Jackson.

New Orleans will start to experience storms shortly before noon on Wednesday. The threat of severe storms will continue to increase during the afternoon hours. An enhanced risk (level 3 of 5) is in effect for Lafayette, Louisiana through areas just west of Panama City, Florida.

A good sign that severe threat has started to wind down is when you start to feel the cooler air arrive. This means that the cold front is nearby, or it has passed, which allows the atmosphere to become more stable and the skies should clear after.

The signature low-pressure system continues to move eastward. Severe storms will continue to affect parts of the South, while the Northern Plain through the west of the Great Lakes will continue receiving snow. Some bands will continue to be heavy overnight.

Tornado threat begins to diminish for northwestern Louisiana and extreme eastern Texas.

A dangerous tornado was spotted about 13 miles southwest of Shreveport near Stonewall. It has left considerable damage and hail was also reported in the area. Meteorologists working at the Shreveport office had to release operations to the Dallas-Fort Worth office so that they could go take shelter.

The tornadic cell continues moving northeast at about 45 mph. Tornado warnings have been extended to follow this cell as it could continue spanning tornadoes.

Severe storms have developed hail across extreme southwestern Arkansas. They are capable of producing 60 mph wind gusts that could damage roofs, sidings, and trees. Also, storms have a history of rotation, which means they can produce a tornado. Please remain indoors and away from doors and windows in your secure shelter.

If you don't have a basement, the safest room in your home is the most central room of your house, in the lowest level, away from windows and doors.

Our WeatherRadar shows tornadic storm cells continue moving across northeastern Texas. Although the line of storms is moving east, storms are moving to the northeast fast. So far today there have been 21 reports of damaging winds and 3 preliminary tornadoes.

There is plenty of moisture for the atmosphere to be unstable, and that also means that there will be plenty of moisture for torrential rains. The front will continue to push east, sweeping all the thunderstorms with it, eastward. Areas of the Deep South will get heavy rains on Tuesday and Thursday which could lead to some flooding. Highlighted below are the areas in a flood watch.

Remember turn around, don't drown.

Make sure to have at least 3 ways of receiving weather alerts. The line of storms continues to move eastward.

Conditions are becoming more favorable for tornadoes to develop across parts of the South, specifically from eastern Texas, including Waco, eastward into areas just west of Shreveport and extreme southwestern Arkansas through 5 p.m. CST. Areas across Central and southern Louisiana should not let their guard down as there will likely be tornado watches put in place later this afternoon.

Severe weather is already underway with a tornado spotted near Fort Worth, Texas early this morning. The video above shows the tornado as it moved through the northern Fort Worth metro. The severe threat has ended for the Dallas area but is currently shifting east.

The WeatherRadar shows intense storms marching east through Texas along a cold front over the next few hours. The severe weather threat will continue to push east throughout the day.