Alabama rocked by 'extremely dangerous' TORNADO as locals are urged to take shelter

An 'extremely dangerous' tornado is ripping through Alabama, with residents being told to take shelter immediately as 140pmh winds batter the state.  

National Weather Service officials say that they have received dozens of damage reports as the storm continues to move through the state.

They have issued a 'tornado emergency' warning for Autauga, Coose, Elmore, and Chilton counties, adding: This is a life-threatening situation and extremely dangerous! Seek shelter immediately if in the path of this storm!!!'

Forecasters said a large and destructive tornado was located near Vida Junction, or 12 miles northwest of Prattville, moving to the northeast at a rate of 55 mph.

A tornado warning has now been issued for Chambers, and the NWS is advising people to seek shelter

 A tornado warning has now been issued for Chambers, with the NWS saying the strength is 'not quite as robust' and seems to be weakening - but is still advising people to seek shelter. 

Winds of up to 70mph are currently hitting Mississippi, Alabama and Tennessee as the storm moves southeast, with thunderstorms developing. 

The worst of the storms hit between 8am and noon, with those in Bibb, Chilton, Greene, Hale, Marengo, Shelby, Sumter, Tuscaloosa and Perry under a tornado warning. 

It is currently not tornado season, which stretches from March to May each year, and there is an increased risk of storms in November and December.

Streets of Alabama's Morgan County have been littered with debris and downed power lines, with 10 to 15 people injured so far in the killer storms.

Golf-ball-sized hail was reported across the counties, with downed trees and structural damage littering the state. 

Entire buildings have been destroyed by the storm in Mississippi, with the tornado expected to continue along its path of destruction for several hours 

A tornado can be seen sweeping over Alabama as damage is being reported across the state 

Forecasters said a large and destructive tornado was located near Vida Junction, or 12 miles northwest of Prattville, moving to the northeast at 55 mph and 140mph at the eye of the tornado

An immediate warning has been put in place for those within Autauga county to get out as it is a 'life-threatening situation 

National Weather Service officials say that they have received dozens of damage reports as the storm continues to move through the state.

Authorities and forecasters are warning of the possibility of hours of destruction, with the area being pummelled by rain and wind.

The National Weather Service office in Louisville, Kentucky, already confirmed a tornado with winds of 100 mph touched down in the central Kentucky town of West Harrodsburg in Mercer County. 

Hilary Granbois, of the Morgan County Emergency Management Agency in Alabama, said: 'So far, we've only had one report of an injury, and I don't know the status of that individual. 

'As of right now, the preliminary report of a lot of downed power lines. We have some overturned 18-wheelers.'

Students in the city of Selma, Alabama, are on ‘weather lockdown’ with schools taking ‘the necessary precautions.’

Mayor James Perkins Jr said the city of Selma in Alabama  had received ‘significant damage’ from the tornado

Authorities and forecasters are warning of the possibility of hours of destruction, with the area being pummelled by rain and wind

Debris littered the roads and fields in Alabama after the surprising tornado hit and destroyed several properties 

Mayor James Perkins Jr said the city had received ‘significant damage’ from the tornado.

He asked residents to avoid traveling on roads and to stay away from downed power lines, adding: ‘City crews will be out as soon as practical to clean up. In the meantime, stay safe and continue to report your damages through 911.'

The Storm Predictions Centre said that the greatest risk of severe storms is a level 3 or 5 and will cover around 9.5million people over parts of Alabama and Georgia. 

More than 25million people in the Southeast and Ohio Valley are under some form of threat of severe storms, which could include damaging wind gusts and tornadoes. 

What is a tornado?

A tornado is a narrow, rapidly spinning column of air around an intense low pressure centre that reaches the ground from cumulonimbus clouds, also known as thunderstorm clouds, according to the Met Office.

Tornadoes have a narrow width, usually up to 100 metres (328 feet) but the damage can be concentrated and severe.

As they develop, funnel shaped clouds extend from the base of the cloud and when these reach the ground, a tornado is formed.

A tornado is a narrow, rapidly spinning column of air around an intense low pressure centre that reaches the ground from cumulonimbus clouds, also known as thunderstorm clouds, according to the Met Office. Pictured, a tornado over a field

Tornadoes can have wind speeds up to 483 kilometres per hour (300 miles per hour) and when they touch the ground can destroy trees and buildings in their path, throwing heavy objects like cars though the air like a Frisbee.

Tornadoes which occur over water are referred to as a waterspout and those which do not touch ground are referred to as a funnel cloud.

The highest surface wind speed ever recorded of 486 kilometres per hour (302 miles per hour) is a result of the 1999 Oklahoma tornado outbreak.

The greatest distance travelled by a single tornado was 352 kilometres (219 miles) from Ellington, Missouri to Princeton, Indiana, on 18 March 1925.

The most tornadoes in a single year were recorded in 2004. There were 1,820.