Storm System Sweeps Across Southeast, Triggering Tornado Warnings

No deaths or serious injuries reported, but damage documented in Louisiana and Georgia

Published on Feb. 16, 2026

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A powerful storm system swept across the Southeast late Saturday and Sunday, bringing tornado warnings to Mississippi and Louisiana, and then moving into parts of Georgia and Florida. While no deaths or serious injuries were reported, the storm caused damage to infrastructure, including overturning a horse trailer and a Mardi Gras float, damaging an airport jet bridge, and knocking down power poles near several Louisiana towns. Meanwhile, the Northeast was beginning to thaw after a weeks-long stretch of unusually cold weather.

Why it matters

The severe weather in the Southeast highlights the ongoing threat of extreme weather events, which are becoming more frequent and intense due to climate change. The damage to infrastructure and potential risk to public safety underscore the importance of disaster preparedness and resilience in communities across the region.

The details

The storm system brought high winds and tornado warnings to parts of Louisiana and Mississippi, with the fiercest storms reported near Lake Charles, Louisiana. National Weather Service employees surveyed the area and documented damage, including an overturned horse trailer, a damaged Mardi Gras float, and a metal awning from a house that was flung into power lines. Power poles were also snapped and toppled near the Louisiana towns of Jena, Cheneyville, and Donaldsonville.

  • The storm system swept across the Southeast late Saturday and Sunday.
  • Tornado warnings were issued for parts of Mississippi and Louisiana.

The players

National Weather Service

The federal agency that monitors and forecasts weather conditions, and sent employees to survey the damage in Louisiana.

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What they’re saying

“As we get up into the mountains and the foothills, we're going to be looking at some snowfall. So there will be snowfall all the way down into the foothills as well.”

— Jacob Spender, Meteorologist, National Weather Service in Sacramento (Associated Press)

What’s next

The storm system is expected to continue moving through the Southeast, with tornado watches in effect for parts of Georgia and Florida on Sunday.

The takeaway

This severe weather event underscores the need for communities in the Southeast to be prepared for the increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather due to climate change. Disaster preparedness and resilience planning will be crucial to protecting lives and infrastructure in the face of these growing threats.