Rain, snow, hail, dust, fire, tornadoes. A giant cross-country storm system last week led to one hazard after another, lashing California with an atmospheric river, fueling wildfires in Oklahoma and spawning tornadoes from Missouri to Alabama.

A part of Texas felt like Mars. Huge stretches of communities across the Midwest and South were reduced to rubble. A governor lost a farmhouse to fire. And the area near a tiny town in Mississippi was struck by a tornado twice.

It has all added up to a devastating mix. Since Friday, at least 40 deaths across seven states have been attributed to the storm.

Number of reported deaths from storms and fires

Officials reported at least 40 deaths across seven states that have been attributed to severe weather in the South and Midwest.

Source: Official reports as of 5 p.m. Central time.

By Elena Shao and June Kim

Here are a few things to know about the storm system and its impact.

Nearly 75 tornadoes were reported on Friday and Saturday.

That number was reported by the Storm Prediction Center, though it may change. Overall, tornadoes and severe storms have killed at least 24 people across four states — Alabama, Arkansas, Missouri and Mississippi. Missouri has had the highest number of fatalities, 12.

Video

At least 40 people were killed in the storms, which ripped through the Midwest, South and East Coast. CreditCredit...Lawrence Bryant/Reuters

Tornadoes across the South and Midwest

Locations of tornado sightings or damage reported since Friday morning.

Source: National Weather Service | Notes: Reports are considered preliminary. Data is for the 72 hours starting on March 14 at 8 a.m. Eastern, during which updates are made every 10 minutes.

By Julie Walton Shaver and John Keefe

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