Rare December tornado outbreak ravages southern US, capping a remarkable year of tornadoes

The last weekend of 2024 concluded with a devastating event as a rare December tornado outbreak swept across the southern United States.

Between December 26 and 29, multiple tornadoes struck Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Georgia, resulting in widespread destruction and at least three fatalities.

Areas around Houston were especially hard hit, with one person killed and four injured in the Houston metro area. Multiple tornadoes struck southeastern Texas on the outskirts of Houston, causing significant damage to towns both north and south of the metro.

In Mississippi, Adams County experienced extensive damage, with at least one fatality and two injuries. North Carolina also reported one death on Sunday morning. Weather & Radar storm chasers reported live from the impacted areas. Check our Saturday live blog for videos and images of the tornadoes.

The storms left a trail of destruction across the South. Homes were destroyed, trees uprooted, and roads blocked, impacting countless communities. Over 200,000 power outages were reported across Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, South Carolina, and Georgia.

While recovery efforts continue in affected areas on Saturday, attention shifts east to ongoing severe weather. Areas from eastern South Carolina to central Virginia are under a level 2 out of 5 slight risk for severe thunderstorms, with damaging winds possible. Isolated storms may also develop in the Ohio Valley, Appalachians, and southern Florida.

The late December outbreak capped off a remarkable year of tornadoes, with a preliminary total of 1,762 tornadoes reported through November — the highest in over a decade. In 2024, six tornado outbreaks each caused over $1 billion in damages and resulted in a total of 52 fatalities. These figures may rise as the final days of December unfold and the weekend's outbreak is fully assessed.