1/22/2012 - De Witt, AR Tornado leaves thousands Without Power - News Story

Arkansas Tornadoes 2012: Storms Leave Thousands Without Power thoughts 1/22/2012 - De Witt, AR Tornado thoughts Reports say Twisters downed trees and powerlines in Arkansas leaving thousands without power as forecasters warned that tornadoes and heavy storms could mete out damage to several southeast states into Monday.Reports say a tornado tore into an area outside of Fordyce, some 70 miles south of state capital Little Rock at around 8:00 p.m. local time, damaging houses and felling trees and power lines as it moved, according to weather reports. A woman was trapped in her home but no injuries were reported at this time.The potential for severe storms overnight and into Monday stretched from the Gulf of Mexico in Mississippi to southern Indiana and Ohio, according to weather reports.Reports of five other twisters touching the ground in Arkansas, which was pelted by soft-ball sized hailstones and buffeted by winds gusting up to 70 miles per hour. It was said that funnel clouds were spotted within 20 miles of state capital Little Rock, according to a national weather service alert, which also issued a flood advisory for the city.Roughly 13,400 homes were without power across Arkansas as the storms intensified, according to utility providers.Roughly one third of Arkansas tornadoes occur at night and are difficult to see in the darkness, the national weather service said, recommending residents in the state to take cover as a precaution. In Alabama, residents were bracing for storms that could hit after dark on Sunday or overnight with a strong cold front from the west combining with warm moist air flowing up from the Gulf of Mexico, according to the National Weather Service.It was said thunderstorms could bring wind gusts up to 80 mph, tornadoes or golf ball-sized hail in Mississippi, although no damage or injuries were reported late on Sunday.Farther west, the weather service warned of a high fire danger in Texas with wind gusts of up to 50 mph. Reports say a second stormfront was expected to hit California late Sunday night, bringing significant snowfall to the mountain regions, according to reports before rolling into the southern United States later in the week. 1/22/2012 -- Tornado threat zone -- MO, IL, KY, IN, TN (also watch OH) toughts january 22 january 23 2012 tornado outbreak de witt arkansas Tornado power flash transformer explosions night time little rock Mississippi Alabama Birmingham Fultondale Trussville jefferson county Maplesville Center Point Jefferson County Mississippi River Storm Lightning Drive Thunder missouri mo alabama AL arkansas AR tennessee TN illinois IL indiana IN kentucky KY mississippi MS georgia GA north south Carolina NC SC ohio OH severe weather outbreak january 22 2012 tornado tornadoes tornadic tornados hail damaging damage damages wind winds strong cell thunderstorm thunderstorms 1/22/2012 -- Severe Alert -- Tornadoes developing = Arkansas Tennessee Mississippi thoughts States under severe threat Arkansas, Missouri, Tennessee, Kentucky, Louisiana, Indiana, and Ohio .. Southern states under severe weather threat such as hail and damaging winds — Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South and North Carolina.