The weather system spans from Michigan to Louisiana across a broad expanse of the eastern half of the U.S., bringing winds strong enough to overturn 18-wheelers and reducing buildings to rubble. Some areas of Tennessee and Kentucky were battered by quarter-sized hail, leaving thousands without power.
Massive Storm Rips Through the Southeast, Spinning Tornadoes in Tennessee and Georgia
Tami Chappell / Reuters
Downed trees and debris lies in the ruins of destroyed homes after a tornado touched down in Adairsville, Ga. on Jan.30, 2012.