Sunday was worst January day for tornado deaths since 1969

The Southeast took stock Monday of the wide swath of destruction wrought by the deadliest January day for tornadoes in 48 years.

With 16 deaths, Sunday became the USA’s worst January day for tornadoes since Jan. 22, 1969, when 32 people died, according to the Storm Prediction Center.

Such violently destructive storms are rare for January, and Sunday’s storm was particularly deadly, killing 15 people in Georgia and one in Florida. It was also the deadliest day overall since April 27, 2014. Four other people died Saturday in another tornado in Mississippi.

January 2017 is now the second-deadliest January for tornadoes in the U.S. since accurate records began in 1950. Only January 1969 had more.

Survey teams were out examining damage Monday to determine how many tornadoes hit Georgia, the length of their path and their strength. The tornadoes and violent storms left dozens injured and destroyed homes, businesses and communities.

President Trump pledged to aid Georgia's recovery.

"I just spoke with Gov. Nathan Deal,” Trump said during a White House ceremony. “Georgia is a great state, great people … The tornadoes were vicious and powerful and strong and they suffered greatly. So we'll be helping out the state of Georgia.”

Trump also expressed condolences for victims of storm damage in surrounding states.

Deal declared a state of emergency Monday for 16 Georgia counties. He added that "all indications suggest" a request would be made for federal assistance as well.

“These storms have devastated communities and homes in south central Georgia, and the state is making all resources available,” Deal said. "Our thoughts and prayers are with Georgians suffering from the storm’s impact."

About 4,700 Georgia residents remained without power as of Monday evening, the state's emergency management agency said in a statement.

There were 37 preliminary reports of tornadoes from Friday through Sunday, according to Patrick Marsh, warning coordination meteorologist with the prediction center.  An average January only sees 21 tornadoes. The all-time record number of January tornadoes is 212, set in 1999.

Fortunately, there is no more danger of severe weather or tornadoes anywhere in the U.S. for at least the next several days, according to the Storm Prediction Center.

Elsewhere Monday, separate storms were slamming California and the Northeast with heavy rain and snow and howling winds. Flood watches and warnings were in effect from San Francisco to San Diego while high wind watches and warnings were posted in New England and portions of the Mid-Atlantic coast as a potent nor'easter cranked up.

A hurricane-force wind warning was in effect for the waters south of Long Island on Monday, where gusts of up to 74 mph were forecast, the National Weather Service said, calling it "a dangerous storm for mariners."

"The wind along with the drenching rain and soft soil could knock down trees and power lines, resulting in power outages," AccuWeather meteorologist Brett Rathbun said. "The coastal flood threat will be greatest at times of high tide."

Ferry service was halted Monday between Cape Cod and Nantucket in Massachusetts as wind gusts to 60 mph were forecast.

Snow was forecast for interior portions of the Northeast, where winter storm warnings were in effect. One to 2 inches of rain was forecast to soak areas from Pittsburgh to Washington, D.C., New York and Boston by Tuesday night, AccuWeather said.

In the West, yet another storm walloped California on Sunday and Monday, dumping drenching rain along the coast and a couple feet of snow in the mountains. Two to 4 inches of rain fell on coastal Southern California during Sunday alone, which had first responders busy setting up roadblocks, performing swift water rescues, clearing debris and repairing power lines, AccuWeather said.

Mammoth Mountain, a ski area in the Sierra, announced Monday that it set a record for its snowiest month on record, according to its website. So far in January, the ski area has picked up over 20 feet of snow "and it's STILL DUMPING!," Mammoth announced proudly on Monday.

After some lingering storminess Tuesday, dry weather will settle over much of the western U.S. during the middle and latter part of this week and will linger into early next week, AccuWeather said.

Mississippi was also recovering Monday after being slammed Saturday by violent weather. Four people died in the southern part of the state when a tornado left a trail of devastation in and around Hattiesburg.

In Georgia, eight people were killed in a mobile home park in Cook County, and two people were killed in Brooks and Berrien counties, said Catherine Howden, a spokeswoman for the state's Emergency Management Agency. She said at least 23 people were injured. The numbers could rise.

Karen Moore survived when an apparent tornado destroyed a swath of the Sunshine Acres Mobile Home Park in the Cook County seat of Adel. She said the storm woke her up before dawn Sunday.

"It sounded like a freight train coming through, and I told my husband that is no train, that is a tornado," Moore said. "There was rubble everywhere. ... It took out five trailers, double-wides, I mean, it just turned them."

Debra Buckholts, who lives just outside Adel, said she feared for the safety of her friends in Sunshine Acres. Closed roads, power outages and spotty cellphone service have made it difficult to check on friends and loved ones.

"Half the trailers aren't there anymore," Buckholts said. "There is nothing left of them."

"The total debris cleanup will be weeks at this point," said Lee Smithson, executive director of the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency.

Contributing: Tallahassee Democrat; WTLV/WJXX, Jacksonville, Fla.; Hattiesburg (Miss.) American; Greg Toppo, USA TODAY. WXIA-TV Atlanta.