On Friday, severe storms and tornadoes were reported in seven states, with Arkansas being hit particularly hard. Three people lost their lives in storms in Arkansas, with two fatalities in Wynne and one in North Little Rock, according to local officials. In Indiana, two people died when a storm damaged homes and a volunteer fire department near Sullivan. Over 50 people were hospitalized in Pulaski County, Arkansas, where a tornado tore through the Little Rock area, while five more were hospitalized in Covington, Tennessee. Preliminary reports indicate that Illinois had 22 tornadoes, Iowa had eight, Tennessee had four, Wisconsin had five, and Mississippi had a couple. Arkansas alone had a dozen tornadoes, which caused significant damage to homes and roads. The wreckage of buildings covered the roads, and many homes were almost completely destroyed.
The severe storms that occurred on Friday were preceded by another round of severe weather that struck the Southeast and caused the deaths of 26 people. A tornado that hit Rolling Fork, Mississippi overnight caused significant damage, with estimated wind speeds of up to 170 mph leveling much of the area. In Belvidere, Illinois, over 200 people were attending an event at the Apollo Theatre when the roof collapsed during a storm with 50 mph winds and hail, resulting in one fatality and dozens of injuries. It is unclear whether the storm caused the roof collapse. 28 individuals were taken to the hospital due to the incident. In Indiana, a storm caused damage in Sullivan County, trapping a local official's wife inside her home until her son was able to rescue her.