Large, long-lived tornadoes are tearing across the South after a deadly outbreak Friday night

(CNN) — Large tornadoes are carving paths of destruction across the South for the second day in a row as a deadly storm system churns across the United States. EF-4 or EF-5 tornadoes, the most violent on the damage scale, are possible if not likely.

Dozens of warnings are being issued in rapid-fire succession Saturday afternoon in Mississippi and soon Alabama. Several storms are producing what appear to be large, long-lived tornadoes. Forecasters at the National Weather Service are pleading with residents to stay aware of the weather and heed the warnings today; this is no longer a risk of deadly storms, it’s an ongoing disaster.

Many are for tornadoes that are generating a significant amount of debris — clouds of dirt, trees and destroyed structures hurled into the air so high they can be detected by radar, which is confirmation to forecasters the deadly twisters are on the ground.

One such tornado in Mississippi triggered a tornado emergency, the most urgent type of tornado warning, after radar indicated it was launching debris five miles into the air.

The outbreak follows a night of devastating weather in the Midwest and South Friday night, which unleashed a series of tornadoes that left at least 11 dead in Missouri. The outbreak of tornadoes raked through towns under the cover of darkness — the most dangerous and deadly time for a tornado outbreak.

The magnitude of the overnight damage is still unclear.

The outbreaks are part of a major, cross-country low pressure system that has killed at least 17 people so far and pounded the central US with hurricane-force gusts, creating a blinding dust storm and fanning wildfire flames.

Here are the latest updates:

• Large tornadoes in the South now: A significant tornado outbreak is ongoing in Mississippi early Saturday afternoon and will soon push into Alabama. Warnings are plastered across these states as forecasters at the National Weather Service warn some of the tornadoes today could be EF-4 or EF-5, the most violent on the Enhanced Fujita scale. States of emergency are in effect as officials try to spread the news of the incoming weather to residents.

• Missouri deaths: In Missouri, the tornado outbreak late Friday left at least 11 dead and several injured.

• Texas deaths: At least three people died Friday in vehicle collisions in Texas, when heavy winds generated severe dust storms and reduced visibility, according to local authorities. Two of those fatalities were reported in separate collisions in Parmer County, in the southwestern Texas Panhandle, Texas Department of Public Safety Sgt. Cindy Barkley told CNN Friday evening. Another driver died in a crash on Interstate 40 in Gray County, she said.

• Arkansas deaths: At least three people died and 29 were injured due to severe weather in Arkansas overnight. The deaths were reported in Independence County, in the northern part of the state, and injuries were reported in eight counties. The Arkansas Division of Emergency Management reported damage in 16 counties.

• Exceptional tornado threat Saturday: Forecasters are warning the tornado threat will escalate after Friday’s outbreak spawned at least 25 reported tornadoes across the central US and South. Violent EF4 or stronger tornadoes capable of traveling long distances are possible across the Deep South.

• Particularly dangerous situation: A tornado watch indicating a “particularly dangerous situation” was issued for more than 3 million people in parts of Louisiana and much of Mississippi, including Jackson, late Saturday morning as dangerous, tornado-producing storms developed. The rare designation is meant to signal the possibility of exceptionally strong storms and tornadoes, which is why the watch called for “numerous” long-lasting and strong tornadoes.

• More than 130 fires in Oklahoma: Fast-spreading fires started popping up in Oklahoma and the Texas Panhandle Friday afternoon, fueled by strong winds amid bone-dry conditions. The state battled more than 130 wildfires across 44 counties, according to the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management. Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt signed an executive order Saturday morning declaring a state of emergency in 12 counties due to Friday’s “dangerous wildfires and straight-line winds.”

In the Texas Panhandle, evacuations were temporarily required in Lake Tanglewood, Texas, just outside of Amarillo, according to the Randall County Sheriff’s Office. A fire in Roberts County has burned through an estimated 23,000 acres and is only 50% contained, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service.

High death toll in Missouri

The tornado outbreak late Friday left at least 11 dead and several injured.

Six deaths were reported at several campgrounds in Wayne County, according to Wayne County emergency manager Waylon Freeze. Missouri Highway Patrol reported one fatality in Jefferson County.

Two fatalities were reported in the Bakersfield area of Ozark County, where emergency crews are working to assess damage and assist those affected, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol. One injured storm victim in the county died early Saturday morning, MSHP said.

In Butler County, a tornado struck Poplar Bluff, killing one person and injuring several others, Butler County Emergency Management Director Robbie Myers told CNN.

The tornado caused significant damage to a supermarket, kindergarten and other structures, according to Myers. Emergency crews are clearing debris, and the Black River Coliseum has been opened as a shelter for displaced residents, according to the county’s EMA. The Red Cross announced plans to assist with relief efforts on Saturday.

What to expect Saturday

Another round of severe thunderstorms fired up on Saturday morning and ignited what will likely be an even more dangerous tornado outbreak than Friday’s.

“Numerous significant tornadoes” are expected Saturday into Sunday morning across the Deep South, according to the Storm Prediction Center, which issued a rare level 5 of 5 high risk for severe thunderstorms for the day in Alabama and Mississippi.

This is the first high risk issued for severe thunderstorms since last May and only the fifth in the past five years, signaling unusual confidence that Saturday could be a devastating day.

It’s also because the number of tornadoes isn’t the only concern. Those that form could be unusually strong and long-lasting, increasing the risk for destruction and deaths.

Forecasters warned Saturday’s tornadoes could be violent, or EF4 or stronger. Only 1% of all tornadoes get this strong, but they account for an outsized 66% of all tornado deaths, according to the Storm Prediction Center.

Dangerous storms flared up in eastern Louisiana and Mississippi during late morning. The storms will progress east throughout the day across the Deep South and become more widespread and dangerous by the afternoon as they track through Mississippi and Alabama.

The storms will also be capable of destructive hurricane-force wind gusts greater than 74 mph, equivalent to a Category 1 hurricane, and large hail.

The storms will continue into the late evening and overnight and impact places such as Atlanta after dark. Nighttime tornadoes are nearly twice as likely to be deadly as those occurring during the day, a 2022 study found, as Friday’s tornado outbreak proved.

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