At least three people were killed in a twister that touched down in the panhandle of Texas and another person was killed in Florida, where flooding also forced almost 150 people out of their homes. A dangerous heatwave helped spawn this and other <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/world/us-news/2021/12/15/biden-to-tour-tornado-hit-kentucky/" target="_blank">deadly tornadoes</a> on Thursday, threatening to bring more extreme weather to large parts of the US South on Friday. The National Weather Service warned Americans from Texas to Florida to limit time outdoors over the long <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/world/the-americas/us-makes-juneteenth-a-federal-holiday-1.1243389" target="_blank">Juneteenth</a> weekend. A combination of high humidity and temperatures above 32°C could contribute to atmospheric instability and create conditions ripe for more harsh storms, weather service meteorologist Matt Mosier said. “It's just been very humid and muggy out,” he said. “You'll end up getting strong gusts and large hail, and even with a few of these storms, you can get tornadoes as well.” At least three people were killed and dozens injured by tornadoes in Perryton, Texas, on Thursday. Hundreds of homes were damaged or destroyed, according to local media. Power was out to thousands of customers as of Friday morning, <a href="http://Poweroutage.us" target="_blank">Poweroutage.us</a> said. In Pensacola, Florida, a tornado downed power lines and toppled a tree on to a home, killing one person in their bedroom, Escambia County spokesman Davis Wood said. Heavy rainfall also forced 146 residents to evacuate an apartment complex in the city of Warrington, he said. The National Weather Service issued excessive heat warnings affecting millions of people in parts of southern Louisiana and Texas, saying the heat index could reach 43°C. South Florida and Mississippi were under heat advisories for Friday. While southern states are accustomed to high heat, extreme weather has become more frequent across the country and with more intensity, driven by climate change, scientists say. Officials recommended that people drink fluids to keep hydrated, stay in air-conditioned rooms and limit time in the sun.
