Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear said at least two tornadoes were sparked by the storm
Storms producing tornadoes and heavy rains rolled through parts of the southern United States, killing at least nine people and leaving over 1 million without power, authorities said.
The National Weather Service said the powerful storm had mostly left the South by late Friday and was moving to the Northeast, where it was forecast to cause heavy snow and sleet from southeastern Michigan east to New York state.
Parts of central New York and southern New England may see over a foot (30 cm) of snow by Saturday afternoon.
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear said on social media that at least three people were killed in the severe weather, though he did not provide any more details. A fourth person was killed by the storm Kentucky, a woman who died when a tree fell on the car she was in, the Fayette County coroner's office said.
Aside from the tornadoes, Beshear said thunderstorms in Kentucky were generating winds of 80 miles per hour (128.75 kph), which are "strong enough to blow tractor trailers off the road."
Three people were killed by falling trees in Alabama as severe weather swept through the state. In Mississippi, a woman died inside her SUV after a rotted tree branch struck her vehicle, and in Arkansas a man drowned after he drove into high floodwaters. News outlets reported two people died in Tennessee when trees fell on them.
Earlier today, a strong storm system made its way through our state and tragically claimed the lives of three Alabamians.
— Governor Kay Ivey (@GovernorKayIvey) March 3, 2023
Please join me in uplifting their families and communities in prayer during this heartbreaking time.
1.4 million homes, businesses without power
In Arkansas, a man died when he was swept into a swollen river by flood waters after driving on a flooded street, according to the Scott County Sheriff's Department.
In Mississippi, Governor Tate Reeves said on social media on Friday that overnight storms producing high winds had resulted in one person's death, though he gave no more details.
More than 1.4 million homes and businesses were without power in states impacted by the storm, according to data from PowerOutage.us.
Violent storms are frequent in the southern United States in winter months, as warm, moist air comes up from the Gulf of Mexico and collides with colder air moving down from the north, meteorologists say.
READ MORE: California says mountain residents could remain stranded in snow for week
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