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With residents of Mississippi and portions of Alabama reeling from the damage sustained during Friday night's deadly tornado outbreak, more severe weather is occurring Sunday. 

Threat level: The Storm Prediction Center is forecasting the likelihood of "several tornadoes" that could include "a few strong tornadoes" in southern Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia in particular, with the threat lasting into Sunday evening. 

The Storm Prediction Center (SPC) has placed the region from northeastern Louisiana to southern Alabama in an “Enhanced Risk” for severe thunderstorms Sunday. This is a level 3 out of 5 on the storm threat scale.

On Sunday morning, several supercell thunderstorms, which contain rotating, upward-moving currents of air and can spawn powerful tornadoes, rolled across south-central Alabama and Georgia, with reports of wind damage and large hail.

At last one tornado caused damage in Georgia Sunday morning, per a storm report to the SPC.

There is a risk for more tornadoes especially this afternoon and evening in central Louisiana, southern Mississippi and Alabama, when the air will be more unstable. 

In addition, wind shear, which refers to winds blowing in different directions and/or speed with height, will be maximized. This is a key ingredient for tornado formation that was in abundance on Friday night. 

Other severe thunderstorms with damaging winds and large hail are likely in the Carolinas today as well, the SPC predicts. 

Yes, but: The atmosphere is not quite as volatile as it was on Friday night, and the threat area for more severe weather is further south than some of the hardest-hit communities from Friday into early Saturday.

Communities in the region with the highest risk for tornadoes Sunday include Jackson and Hattiesburg, Miss., Auburn, Ala. and Alexandria, La.

State of Play: The long-lived, devastating tornado that caused extreme damage in communities such as Rolling Fork and Silver City, Miss. Friday night has received a preliminary intensity rating of EF-4, with winds of between 166 mph to 200 mph. 

According to the National Weather Service, that tornado had a path length of at least 59 miles, lasting for 1 hour and 10 minutes. It was three-quarters of a mile wide, based on the preliminary storm damage survey conducted Saturday. 

More surveys are underway Sunday, and the full path length of the supercell thunderstorm that spawned the single or multiple tornadoes appears to have traveled at least 100 miles.

On Saturday, President Joe Biden approved a federal disaster declaration for Mississippi, which speeds the release of government aid to the state.

Context: Tornadoes are more common in the South and Southeast during March than in the Plains states, known informally as "Dixie Alley." 

Warmer than average ocean temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico and any lingering atmospheric effects from a recently diminished La Niña event could be aggravating factors in increasing storm risks.

La Niña is known to bring more weather disturbances to the region during spring. The landmark tornado outbreaks in April 2011 occurred during a La Niña spring. 

Milder than average ocean temperatures add to the atmospheric moisture, and therefore energy, available for severe thunderstorms in the South and Southeast. 

Additional "strong tornadoes" are possible Sunday in a region hit hard Friday night.

A man sits amongst damage from an EF-4 tornado in Rolling Fork, Mississippi, March 25. Photo: Will Newton/Getty Images

Extreme weather

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's probe of former President Trump should instead be handled by the Department of Justice, House Oversight Chair James Comer (R-Ky.) told CNN's "State of the Union" Sunday.

Driving the news: The Manhattan DA has been investigating a hush money payment allegedly made to adult film star Stormy Daniels, and reports have swirled that an indictment in the case could be imminent.

Comer argued that the case should be a federal investigation and that "if there was a reason for prosecution, it should be done by the Department of Justice on the federal level."

"He's investigating a presidential candidate, not to mention former President of the United States, for a federal election crime. That has no business being litigated in a local district attorney's office," Comer said.

State of play: When host Jake Tapper pointed out that Bragg was investigating violations of state crimes, Comer replied that the issue was "about politics" and that the Manhattan DA should be focused on fighting crime in New York.

The case could also "open a can of worms," Comer said, in which local district attorneys could try to "overreach" into federal election law.

"I don't believe that Bragg would be doing this if Donald Trump were not running for president," Comer added.

The big picture: Comer and Reps. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) and Bryan Steil (R-Wis.) sent a letter last week to Bragg demanding that he testify before Congress and turn over any documents related to the Trump probe.

Bragg’s office rebuffed the request on Thursday.

The House Republicans' tactic has drawn a mixed response from Senate Republicans, many of whom see serious risks in second-guessing how local prosecutors pursue cases, Axios' Hans Nichols and Andrew Solender write.

Go deeper: Manhattan DA office won't "be intimidated" in Trump probe

Axios' Hans Nichols and Andrew Solender write

Manhattan DA office won't "be intimidated" in Trump probe

"If there was a reason for prosecution, it should be done by the Department of Justice on the federal level."

Deadly and destructive tornadoes spiraled through parts of Mississippi and Alabama overnight Friday, killing at least 26 people, injuring dozens, and destroying homes and towns.

The latest: The National Weather Service said Saturday that the deadly tornado which struck the small towns of Rolling Fork and Silver City in southwest Mississippi has been given a preliminary rating of EF-4 -- the second highest. 

An EF-4 rating comes from the Enhanced Fujita scale, which categorizes tornados from 0 to 5, with 5 being the most catastrophic damage. EF-4 tornados have wind speeds between 166 to 200 mph.

In a tweet, the agency added that the tornado traveled 59 miles, beginning in Issaquena County and moving northeast toward Holmes County. 

The tornado was approximately 3/4 a mile wide and lasted for over an hour. 

Four other tornadoes that hit rural areas across northern Mississippi were given preliminary ratings of EF-1. A rating has not been given to the tornado which struck Amory, Mississippi.

Details: The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) confirmed 25 deaths and dozens of injuries Saturday afternoon. Four people previously missing have been accounted for, though there was no information given on their conditions. 

Deaths were reported across multiple counties, including Humphreys, Carroll, Monroe, and Sharkey, according to local news reports. Sharkey County Coroner Angelia Easton told ABC News that 13 people were killed in the storm. Rolling Fork is located in Sharkey County.

In Morgan County, Alabama, a man died after his mobile home overturned during a tornado, the sheriff's office said in a tweet. 

Video footage and photos captured the damage. One video showed extensive damage to Silver City, Mississippi, from the "large and extremely dangerous" tornado.

A view of the damage after a tornado tore through Mississippi on March 25, 2023. (Photo by Fatih Aktas/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

Zoom in:  Silver City and Rolling Fork, both rural towns in the southwest, and Amory in the northeast, all sustained significant tornado damage.

After striking Rolling Fork, radar imagery showed tornado debris carried to 25,000 feet, raining down on towns miles ahead of the storm in an indication of the tornado’s intensity.

"Looking to my left and looking to my right, all I see is devastated buildings, flat grounds where physical buildings used to stand," Walker Eldridge, mayor of Rolling Fork, a town in southwest Mississippi decimated by a wedge tornado, told Fox News. "It's a terrible situation here."

In northeast Mississippi, WTVA meteorologist Matt Laubhan uttered a prayer, "Dear Jesus, please help them. Amen," during a live broadcast after a radar update showed a significant debris ball as the storm moved toward Amory.

Shortly after the storm hit, several storm spotters who tracked the tornado took to Twitter to appeal for people to hurry to Rolling Fork and Silver City to help with rescue efforts.

In Amory, the National Guard Armory, an Exxon gas station, and several other businesses were significantly damaged or destroyed. Damage was also reported at the local high school, and to homes throughout the town of around 6,500. 

Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves (R) declared a state of emergency in the counties impacted by the tornadoes, saying the state will "marshal every available resource on behalf of our neighbors in need. We’re here for the long haul."

Reeves said Saturday afternoon "the scale of the damage and loss is evident everywhere affected today. Homes, businesses … entire communities."

President Biden also issued a major disaster declaration for the impacted areas on Saturday, allowing residents and business owners access to federal aid.

What they're saying: Biden issued a statement Saturday expressing his condolences and called images from Mississippi "heartbreaking."

"While we are still assessing the full extent of the damage, we know that many of our fellow Americans are not only grieving for family and friends, they’ve lost their homes and businesses."

Reeves confirmed he spoke with Biden, adding that "the flood of support from governors, businesses, charities, and federal admin has been tremendous—matches the community here on the ground."

Of note: Multiple tornado emergencies were issued last night, the most dire tornado alert issued by the NWS. A tornado emergency alert indicates a confirmed, ongoing tornado is hitting, or will soon hit, a populated area.

Nighttime tornadoes are deadlier than those that strike during the day, in part because people are less attuned to sources for tornado warnings. 

Multiple risk factors scientists have been warning about for years combined last night to create this unfolding disaster.

Rural Mississippi has a high concentration of mobile homes, which can sustain serious damage even during weak tornadoes. 

A view of damage after a tornado tore through Mississippi on March 25, 2023. (Photo by Fatih Aktas/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

Editor's note: This story has been updated throughout to include new details and photos.

At least 25 people died in Mississippi and 1 in Alabama as a result of the storms, with the small towns of Rolling Fork, Silver City, and Amory sustaining the most damage.

Kenterica Sardin, 23, stands where her bedroom once was after being damaged from a series of powerful storms and at least one tornado on March 25, 2023 in Rolling Fork, Mississippi. At least 26 people have reportedly been killed with dozens more injured following devastating storms across western Mississippi. (Photo by Will Newton/Getty Images)

Denver International Airport CEO Phil Washington, President Biden's nominee to lead the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), has withdrawn his nomination amid Republican opposition.

Driving the news: Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg called Washington an "excellent nominee" and condemned the "undeserved" partisan attacks against him in a tweet confirming the news Saturday night.

"I respect his decision to withdraw and am grateful for his service," Buttigieg added.

State of play: Last week a scheduled Senate Commerce, Science & Transportation Committee confirmation vote was scuttled after after Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.) raised last-minute questions about the nominee, Axios' Hans Nichols writes.

Republicans have repeatedly called Washington "unqualified,'' claiming he lacks specific aviation experience.

Reuters first reported the news that Washington had withdrawn his nomination.

The big picture: The FAA has been without a permanent leader since March 2022.

The agency has faced a series of challenges in recent months, including spates of flight cancellations and delays that have frustrated travelers, as well as several narrowly averted catastrophes.

This is the second time this month that a nominee has failed to advance out of the Commerce Committee after Gigi Sohn withdrew her name for an open seat on the Federal Communications Commission.

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Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg condemned the "undeserved" partisan attacks against Washington.

Phil Washington during a Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee nomination hearing on March 1. Photo: Nathan Howard/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Former President Trump, who said last week he would be arrested in a probe into alleged hush money he paid to a porn star, now suggests the case might be dropped by Manhattan's district attorney.

"I think they've already dropped the case," Trump told reporters aboard his plane after appearing at a campaign rally in Waco, Texas. "It's a fake case. Some fake cases, they have absolutely nothing."

Why it matters: The possibility Trump could be indicted in New York led him to call for protests last week and has raised the possibility of him being the first presidential candidate to face criminal charges.

Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg's office has declined to comment on the case, which appears to involve whether Trump violated business accounting laws and campaign finance laws in making the payment to porn star Stormy Daniels, who alleges they had an affair.

Zoom in: Trump cited no evidence, but did reiterate his criticism of Michael Cohen, the former Trump lawyer who has testified against the former president before the New York grand jury investigating the case. 

It was Trump who had named last Tuesday as the target date for his own arrest. Then the week came and went with no public action by Bragg.

Bragg said in a Friday afternoon memo to his staff, after a threatening letter with a powdery substance was found in his mailroom: "We will continue to apply the law evenly and fairly."

Among those in Trump's entourage traveling to Waco were attorneys Alina Habba and Lindsey Halligan.

alleged hush money he paid to a porn star,

Donald Trump speaking at a campaign rally in Waco, Texas

Former President Trump speaks at his rally in Waco on Saturday evening. Photo: Sergio Flores/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Former President Trump on Saturday blasted the wide-ranging investigations against him, telling thousands of supporters at a rally in Texas that his personal life "has been turned upside down" because of "prosecutorial misconduct by radical left maniacs."

Why it matters: In a rambling speech at the Waco airport, Trump made his most extensive comments yet on the legal jeopardy he faces, starting with the New York probe into alleged hush money he paid to a porn star over an affair she says they had.

Trump touched on a series of grievances, accusations and insults, and cast the investigations of him in New York, Georgia and by the Justice Department as being choreographed by his political opponents in Washington.

He said he was an example of why the "weaponization of law enforcement" was the biggest problem the U.S. faces — and told the crowd: "They're coming after you."

He called his ex-lawyer Michael Cohen — who testified against Trump before a New York grand jury — a "proven liar, convicted felon and disbarred lawyer." And in an apparent reference to porn star Stormy Daniels, Trump said: "I never liked horse-face."

Zoom in: Trump, who leads polls of GOP voters for the party's presidential nomination, portrayed the 2024 election in near-apocalyptic terms: He said the election would be "the final battle" against "open border fanatics" and "stupid warmongers."

The latter was a reference to Trump's opposition to U.S. military assistance to Ukraine to help it resist Russia's invasion. Most Americans support the war effort, but Trump vowed he would stop U.S. aid and "prevent World War III."

Trump also took a shot at Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who hasn't announced a run for president but is widely assumed to be Trump's top rival for the Republican nomination.

Trump claimed that his endorsement was the reason DeSantis won the governor's race in 2018 — and that DeSantis' much-touted record as governor is overblown.

Trump made his most extensive comments yet on the legal jeopardy he faces.

Supporters of former President Trump arrive for his campaign rally at the Waco, Texas, airport on Saturday. Photo: SUZANNE CORDEIRO/AFP via Getty Images

Crowd awaits former President Trump's arrival at Waco Regional Airport. Photo: Brandon Bell/Getty Images

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said Saturday he completed inpatient physical therapy after a fall at a fundraising dinner earlier this month and will work from his D.C. home for "the next few days." 

The big picture: It's not yet clear when McConnell will resume in-person work at the Capitol, with an aide telling Axios he won't be back before the Senate breaks for a two-week recess on Friday. 

The aide said the Republican leader will consult his physical therapists on a return date and declined to speculate when that might be.

What they're saying: “I want to sincerely thank everyone for all the kind wishes. I’m happy to say I finished inpatient physical therapy earlier today and I’m glad to be home," McConnell said in a statement Saturday.

“I’m going to follow the advice of my physical therapists and spend the next few days working for Kentuckians and the Republican Conference from home," he said. "I’m in frequent touch with my Senate colleagues and my staff. I look forward to returning in person to the Senate soon.”

The backdrop: McConnell fell during a Senate Leadership Fund dinner at the Waldorf Astoria in Washington, D.C. on March 8. 

He was later treated for a concussion and a minor rib fracture, according to his staff.

Following his release from the hospital last Monday, he was sent to a separate inpatient facility for physical therapy.

Of note: It's the first direct statement put out by McConnell himself – rather than his staff – since his fall.

What they're saying: GOP senators told Axios this week that a handful of them have had phone calls or texted with the Republican leader.

They said he was keeping close tabs on his colleagues and expressing a strong desire to return to the Senate as soon as possible.

Some also said they had concerns about the ripple effects of a prolonged absence from the Senate.

fell during a Senate Leadership Fund dinner

McConnell completes physical therapy, will work from home

An aide said the GOP leader won't be back in the Senate before they break for a two week recess on Friday.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Whip John Thune speak to reporters.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty Images.

Mitch McConnell

Top House Republicans said in a letter Saturday that they're considering legislation to "protect" current and former presidents from "politically motivated prosecutions" in response to Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's investigation into former President Trump.

Why it matters: The letter is the latest volley in their back-and-forth with Bragg, who has refused to comply with their request for records related to his probe. Republicans have attempted to paint Bragg's actions — which could result in a historic indictment of Trump — as an abuse of prosecutorial authority.

Bragg's office has in turn claimed that their inquiry is improper and without standing.

Driving the news: In a letter to Bragg, Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), Oversight Chair James Comer (R-Ky.) and House Administration Chair Bryan Steil (R-Wis.) respond point by point to Bragg's last correspondence and double down on their case for congressional oversight.

"[B]ecause the federal government has a compelling interest in protecting the physical safety of former or current Presidents, any decision to prosecute ... raises difficult questions concerning how to vindicate that interest in the context of a state or local criminal justice system," the letter states. 

"For these reasons and others, we believe that we now must consider whether Congress should take legislative action to protect former and/or current Presidents from politically motivated prosecutions by state and local officials, and if so, how those protections should be structured." 

"[D]ue to your own actions, you are now in possession of information critical to this inquiry," the letter reads.

Worth noting: If Bragg rejects the records request again, it will force the three lawmakers to decide whether to venture into the uncharted territory of subpoenaing a local prosecutor.

The lawmakers have given Bragg until March 31 to comply.

Go deeper... Timeline: The probe into Trump's alleged hush money payment to Stormy Daniels

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's

Timeline: The probe into Trump's alleged hush money payment to Stormy Daniels

GOP Reps. mull legislation to protect presidents from "politically motivated" probes

Top House Republicans have accused Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg of abusing prosecutorial authority in a case involving former President Trump.

Photo of Donald Trump raising his left hand in a fist on stage at a rally

Former President Trump makes an appearance at the Division I Men's Wrestling Championship held at the BOK Center on March 18, 2023 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Photo: Shane Bevel/NCAA Photos via Getty Images

A letter containing white powder sent Friday to the office of the Manhattan district attorney weighing charges against former President Trump contained no "dangerous substance" inside, according to multiple reports.

Driving the news: A spokesman for Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said in a statement to Politico and CNBC that the material "was immediately contained" and that law officials in New York " determined there was no dangerous substance."

The NYPD Emergency Service Unit and the NYC Department of Environmental Protection both investigated the substance, the statement from the district attorney's office said.

According to CNBC, the NYPD considered the envelope to be non-hazardous.

“We are aware of the incident. It’s under active investigation," the NYPD said in a statement to Axios. "The NYPD takes all such threats seriously.”

Bragg's office did not immediately respond to Axios' request for comment.

Context: Bragg on Friday was threatened with assassination in a letter containing a white powder, Axios' Sophia Cai reports.

Per NBC News, the letter had a typewritten note reading, “ALVIN: I AM GOING TO KILL YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!”″

The incident happened after Trump called for protests and warned of violence in a Truth Social post, saying "Our country is being destroyed, as they tell us to be peaceful!"

Trump also called Bragg — who is considering issuing charges against Trump over alleged hush money paid to an adult film star — an "animal" who "doesn't care about right or wrong."

Worth noting: Law enforcement officials said the office has received hundreds of threats in recent weeks over the investigation into Trump, per CNBC. Bragg was specifically threatened with direct harm, an official said.

Go deeper: Trump's anger over N.Y. case challenges campaign

Trump's anger over N.Y. case challenges campaign

White powder sent to Manhattan DA probing Trump deemed non-hazardous

A spokesman for Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said in a statement that the material "was immediately contained."

A New York Police Department (NYPD) Emergency Service unit officer outside the office of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg 

NYPID officer outside the office of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. Photo: Angus Mordant/Bloomberg via Getty Images

A Hungarian official has said that the country would not arrest Russian President Vladimir Putin if he entered Hungary, despite the International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant for alleged war crimes.

What they're saying: Gergely Gulyas, Orbán's chief of staff, called the warrant counterproductive at a news conference in Budapest this week, per Reuters. It pushed "things toward further escalation and not toward peace, this is my personal subjective opinion," he said.

Arresting Putin would also go against Hungarian law since Hungary has not widely incorporated the ICC's statute into its legal system, he added.

"We can refer to the Hungarian law and, based on that, we cannot arrest the Russian president ... as the ICC’s statute has not been promulgated in Hungary."

Why it matters: Putin is unlikely to face a trial from the warrant — the Russian government does not recognize the ICC — but it could limit his ability to travel to the ICC's 123 member nations, which are obligated to follow through with an arrest under their treaty with the court.

Hungary is one of these 123 member states. Its government has condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine and accepted EU sanctions on Russia but declined to allow the transport of weapons across Hungarian territory or sanction Russian energy.

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's close ties with Putin have also come under scrutiny. The Hungarian government has not publicly taken a stance on the warrant.

The big picture: Orbán has repeatedly criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and referred to him as an opponent the Hungarian people "had to fight against" after he was re-elected last April.

But the ICC statute is clear that member states are expected to "immediately take steps" to make an arrest if requested.

South Africa is another member nation that has pushed back against the warrant. Naledi Pandor, minister of international relations, told South African Broadcasting Corp. that South Africa is aware of its legal obligation but is considering extending an invite to Putin to an August summit in Johannesburg.

Worth noting: Neither the U.S. nor China is an ICC member state.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping visited Putin in Moscow earlier this week and invited the Russian president to Beijing later this year.

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Hungary would not arrest Putin despite ICC warrant, official says

As an ICC member state, Hungary is obligated to follow through with an arrest but has walked a tightrope with Russia this past year.

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