UPDATED Dec. 26, 5:45 p.m. PT with new death toll
A large storm system has snarled travel and caused at least scattered damage across more than 10 states on Wednesday, bringing large hail, damaging winds and confirmed tornadoes. At least 18 people have died in Mississippi, Tennessee, Alabama and Arkansas.
One tornado was reported to be at least a half-mile wide as it approached the small town of Holly Springs, Mississippi on Wednesday around 4:30 p.m. CST. On Doppler radar imagery, the tornado appeared to be a massive, extremely destructive twister of the kind that the National Weather Service warned about when it issued a heightened tornado watch earlier in the day, known as a "Particularly Dangerous Situation" watch.
I've seen a lot of shit in my backyard before. New one pic.twitter.com/QI3MTATZF9— Wiley DeLoach (@FullMetalSquid) December 23, 2015
The overall storm system is wrapped like a tightening coil, affecting millions, from Minnesota to Louisiana.
But the most dangerous aspect of the storm was focused on several states in the South, including Tennessee, Mississippi, Missouri, Arkansas and Alabama.
An 18-year-old woman died near Atkins, Arkansas, when a tree, uprooted by winds, crashed into her bedroom, Pope County Sheriff Shane Jones told the Associated Press. The woman's 1 1/2-year-old sister, who was also sleeping in the room, was trapped inside, but survived.
The Marshall County Coroner -- the county is home to Holly Springs -- has confirmed one of the fatalities was a 7-year-old boy, according to news reports. Benton County Sheriff's Department confirmed two people also died in Ashland, Mississippi, reports WMC 5. The man and woman in their 60s died when their individual homes were destroyed, Mississippi Highway Patrol Sgt. Ray Hall told The Clarion-Ledger.
Marshall, Benton, Tippah, Coahoma, Panola and Quitman counties saw extensive damage, Mississippi Emergency Management Agency wrote on Facebook, adding that shelters were opening at the Harmony Baptist Church in Walnut and the Clarksdale Auditorium in Clarksdale.
@3onyourside two demolished houses between como and Sardis just west of I55 #tornadowarnado pic.twitter.com/UEeS18Gk10— Noah Donahou (@monkeyninja223) December 23, 2015
My God - Holly Springs, MS........ presented without comment pic.twitter.com/gcrecWImMw— Gamecocks Anonymous™ (@GamecockColonel) December 23, 2015
Take a look at the damage after tornado passed through. Frontage Rd. in Como, MS @3onyourside pic.twitter.com/ELzrffOJDw— Shay Arthur (@ShayA_WREG3) December 23, 2015
Just watched a large wedge tornado cross HW 72 W. of Walnut, MS. #mswx #alwx @weatherchannel @WeatherNation pic.twitter.com/lFP8iqucJo— Kevin McGrath (@kevinmmcgrath) December 23, 2015
Major tornado damage crossed I-55 north of Sardis MS in search rescue mode. mswx @NWSMemphis pic.twitter.com/cWQGm9nEIK— Jeff Piotrowski (@Jeff_Piotrowski) December 23, 2015
@NWSMemphis bldg demolished in chulahoma, Ms Trees down hwy 7, just east of Chulahoma. pic.twitter.com/oIAIWSMJP0— Keefer (@ChippyCham) December 24, 2015
In the case of Holly Springs, a community of about 8,000 people located roughly 50 miles southeast of Memphis, meteorologists took to Twitter to offer prayers as what was clearly a massive tornado spun toward town just days before Christmas.
Extreme rotation on a very dangerous tornado near Holly Springs, MS. Prayers for all in the path of this storm. pic.twitter.com/xIAIJzct80— Kate Bilo CBS3 (@katebilo) December 23, 2015
Exceptional tornadic supercell in NW MS. Doesn't get worse than this on radar. pic.twitter.com/MGrNCqiA67— Ryan Hanrahan (@ryanhanrahan) December 23, 2015
Damage occurred on a highway that runs alongside Holly Springs. There was heavy traffic around the time the tornado touched ground, based on social media reports.
Damage to vehicles under over pass. Just now near Holly Springs, MS. #mswx pic.twitter.com/s9necP38yb— MOAR Meso (@MOARMeso) December 23, 2015
In Clarksdale, Mississippi, planes at a small airport overturned and about 20 homes were destroyed. The only known fatality was a dog killed by storm debris, Clarksdale Mayor Bill Luckett told the AP.
"I'm looking at some horrific damage right now," the mayor said. "Sheet metal is wrapped around trees; there are overturned airplanes; a building is just destroyed."