Weather

NBC News’ Gabe Gutierrez was in the air with the National Guard as they surveyed the historic tornado destruction in Kentucky. The largest tornado was on the ground for more than two hours, making it potentially the longest track tornado in American history.

Overnight, the small town of Hartland, Minnesota recorded the state’s first tornado in the month of December. Nearly half a million people are without power after unprecedented storm systems slammed the region over the last 24 hours.

Disaster-response officials said about 10,000 villages lie in the projected path of the typhoon, which has a 248-mile-wide rain band and is one of the strongest to hit the country this year.

President Biden visited areas of Kentucky devastated by a series of deadly tornadoes, seeing the damage first-hand and playing the role of consoler-in-chief as communities across the region begin the recovery process. NBC News’ Dasha Burns reports from Mayfield, Kentucky. 

Wind gusts up to 100 mph, unprecedented winter tornadoes and the highest wildfire risk issued during the month of December are all possible Wednesday and Wednesday night.

In the aftermath of a series of devastating tornadoes that ripped through Kentucky, President Biden is set tour multiple parts of the state as communities continue the recovery effort. NBC News’ Monica Alba breaks down the president’s message to those impacted by the tornadoes.  

The death toll stood at 74 as search and rescue efforts continued Tuesday, as did the clearing of massive amounts of debris, including dead livestock.

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear said that the owners of the candle factory in Mayfield believe that all the remaining workers are now accounted for. Beshear called it "a miracle" that only 8 people were killed at the factory during the deadly tornadoes that ripped through six states.

While it's too soon to tell exactly what was behind this weekend's tornadoes, recent warm temperatures over land and in the Gulf of Mexico along with a trailing cold front was a formula for disaster. Joshua Johnson talks with Dr. Michael Mann about what may have caused the storms and the impact climate change can have. 

Satellite images detail scenes of devastation from the rare December tornadoes that hit multiple states and killed at least 74 people.

Officials were struggling to count the dead because of the "amount of damage and rubble," Gov. Andy Beshear said.