Weather Forecasts for the Great Plains and Southwest on Monday: Snow, Storms and Flooding in Southern Flares and the Panama City Beach Area
From blizzard conditions in the Southwest to more precipitation in the Northeast, people across the country are bracing for bad weather and, in some cases, extreme conditions that could hamper travel.
Some places in the Great Plains could see up to 2 inches of snow an hour, posing a danger to travel, according to the National Weather Service.
Parts of northeast New Mexico, eastern Colorado, the Oklahoma and Texas Panhandles,western Kansas and southwest Nebraska could experience blizzard conditions. Blizzard warnings were in effect in at least six Plains states on Monday.
The New Mexico Department of Transportation said Monday morning that snow was already creating “hazardous driving conditions across the state,” and several weather observation stations reported wind gusts over 60 miles per hour.
A lot of states on the Gulf Coast will be affected by severe storms and damaging winds. Some tornadoes are also possible.
From the Midwest, the storm was expected to head east, bringing a combination of snow, rain and strong winds to the Northeast by Tuesday night, as well as concerns about flooding in areas such as New England, parts of which got more than a foot of snow Sunday.
Additional winter weather was set to pass through the Cascades in Oregon and Washington beginning Monday night and again on Tuesday evening, the NWS said.
The Washington Emergency Management Division said it was rare for the area to receive a blizzard warning, and urged travelers to avoid the mountain passes.
A storm with high winds and tornado warnings destroyed many homes in Florida and flipped over campers in the South on Tuesday. Another storm brought cities across the Midwest to a standstill with more than half a foot of snow, stranding people on highways as it headed to the Northeast.
Near Cottonwood, Ala., a small city near the Georgia and Florida borders, 81-year-old Charlotte Paschal was killed when her mobile home was tossed from its foundation, the Houston County coroner said. There was a suspected tornado in the area.
Storm-related injuries were reported in Florida, but no deaths. A section of Panama City Beach showed parts of roofs blown away, furniture, fences and debris strewn about and a house that appeared tilted on side, leaning on another home.
In Panama City, about 10 miles away, police early Tuesday asked residents to stay indoors and off the roads “unless absolutely necessary” as officers checked on damage from the storms, including downed power lines and trees.
The National Weather Service office in Tallahassee is planning to send out three tornado survey teams on Wednesday and two more on Thursday. Three teams from Florida will inspect suspected tornado damage on Wednesday. The teams will be in Houston County, Alabama, and the county of Calhoun County, Georgia.
The department urged people to stay home, posting photos of a damaged apartment complex and marina. Large pieces of building materials and power lines draped across the road are some of the photos posted by the Walton County sheriff’s department. About 70 miles northeast, in Jackson County, photos showing damage to a campground and RV park in Marianna were posted.
A state of emergency has been declared in 49 counties in North Florida due to tornadoes after the governor gave his State of the State address.
The only government building that isn’t closed due to the weather in the state is this one. “We just do what we do in Florida: We respond when these things happen … We’ll handle whatever fallout is from these dangerous tornadoes.”
During Tuesday morning’s commute, air traffic at Atlanta’s busy airport was halted due to heavy rain which caused flash flooding and left some lanes of freeway around Atlanta blocked. Many public school systems called off classes, while other systems delayed the start of in-person classes.
A Sprawling Storm in The U.S. Spels High Winds in the South and Snow in the Midwest: A Case Study in Claremont, North Carolina
In North Carolina, one person has died and two other people were in critical condition after a suspected tornado struck a mobile home park in the town of Claremont, which is north of Charlotte, according to Amy McCauley, a spokesperson for Catawba County. The county has also been dealing with downed trees and flooding.
Due to the state of emergency declared by the governor of North Carolina large and heavy trucks with emergency supplies can be driven without restriction. Some schools were canceled or shut down early.
In Des Moines, Iowa, Laura Burianov had nearly finished shoveling her driveway Tuesday morning. But with snow still falling, she acknowledged she likely would have to shovel again later in the day.
Matt Stilwell’s street in Des Moines was still buried with more than 6 inches of snow as a plow had not come through. But he cleaned off his driveway and sidewalk.
Poor road conditions contributed to a fatal crash early Tuesday in southeastern Wisconsin, Jefferson County Sheriff Paul Milbrath said in a news release. An SUV driver was killed following a head-on collision with a semitrailer on state Highway 18 around 5:40 a.m. The driver of the semitrailer was not hurt. There were no one else in the vehicles.
Captain of sheriff’s office The center and fog lines on the highway were covered in slush and snow. The National Weather Service said winds were up to 26 mph and light snow was falling.
The National Weather Service predicted 6 inches of snow for Kansas and Missouri by the time the storm moved on Tuesday.
In parts of Arizona, a cold front brought below-freezing temperatures early Tuesday, with the National Weather Service reporting a minus-17 reading at the Snow Bowl in northern Arizona. In northeastern New Mexico, the state Department of Transportation said snow plows spent hours Monday afternoon clearing U.S. Highway 56 to free more than 25 stranded vehicles.
Source: A sprawling storm in the U.S. spawns high winds in the South and snow in the Midwest
State of Emergency in New Jersey and the New York City Floating Light Embedded Highway System after a Storm Sprawling into the U.S. Spawning High Winds and Snow in the Midwest
The state of emergency in New Jersey was declared at 5 pm by Gov. Phil Murphy ahead of the heavy rain and wind expected on Tuesday.
The city of New York evacuated a group of migrants who had been housed in a white tent in a remote corner of Brooklyn. An aide to New York City Mayor Eric pointed out a predicted wind speed of 70 mph.
In western New York, an empty tractor trailer blew over on the state Thruway on Tuesday morning, temporarily blocking all westbound traffic, state police said. The state banned empty trucks and trailers.
In Massachusetts, electricity provider National Grid said they were prepared for possible hazardous wind gusts and heavy rains and have additional crews and personnel to respond to any power outages.
Jean-Pierre said Tuesday at the White House press briefing that storms remained a threat. “We are closely monitoring the weather, and we encourage all Americans to do the same,” she said.
The Iowa caucus is expected to be affected by cold and snow, which could drift below zero degrees.
It forced former President Donald Trump’s campaign to cancel his appearances in Arkansas and Iowa.
Source: A sprawling storm in the U.S. spawns high winds in the South and snow in the Midwest
Breakdown of I-70 and Winter Storm Warning in Nebraska, and Associated Sliding Vehicles Off I-80 and Freeway Roads from Kansas to Nebraska
Whiteout conditions in central Nebraska shut down a long stretch of I 80, while dangerous travel conditions in Kansas led to the freeway being closed from the central city of Russell to the Colorado border. Several vehicles slid off I-70 in the northeastern part of the state, authorities said.
Northwestern Illinois was also under a winter storm warning with forecasts calling for 7 to 12 inches of snow by early Wednesday. The Chicago area as well as Gary, Ind., were under winter storm advisories, with forecasts calling for up to 6 inches of snow and wind gusts of up to 30 mph.