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More than 30 million people on alert for severe weather

By Max Golembo, ABC News Apr 9, 2021 | 7:39 AM
ABC News

(NEW YORK) — A new storm will move into the Gulf Coast states Friday with the second-highest alert risk possible for damaging straight-line winds and tornadoes.

States that are in the bullseye Friday are Mississippi, Louisiana and Arkansas.

More than 30 million people are on alert for severe weather in the next 24 hours from Texas to Georgia.

The severe weather threat will not move much Saturday, with tornadoes and damaging winds possible from New Orleans to Atlanta.

Meanwhile, in the West, it’s very dry, windy and warm with high fire danger.

In Arizona Thursday, a 500-acre wildfire forced 200 residents to evacuate north of Tucson. At least 12 structures have been destroyed.

The forward progress of the fire has been stopped. The fire is 20% contained, but evacuations remain in effect in Dudleyville, Arizona.

Nine states from California to North Dakota are under wind alerts and red flag warnings Friday due to low humidity and gusty winds that could quickly spread wildfires.

Several reported tornadoes in eastern Tennessee produced damage to buildings and uprooted trees Thursday. One of the tornadoes in Cumberland was rated as an EF-0 with winds of up to 80 mph.

Tennis ball size hail was reported in Texas, where it covered the ground.

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