Severe winter storms cause widespread destruction in various regions. Snow, sleet, and freezing rain are forecasted to continue pounding the central Appalachians and mid-Atlantic states on Wednesday, with California preparing for a storm that may flood areas affected by recent wildfires. Heavy snowfall, reaching up to nearly 14 inches (25 centimeters), is expected in parts of Virginia and West Virginia, while ice accumulations could surpass a third of an inch (8.4 millimeters) in some areas.
In California, an atmospheric river, capable of transporting moisture from the tropics to more northern areas, is anticipated to move in late Wednesday, potentially resulting in flooding in urban regions across central and Southern California. The snowstorm that hit the mid-Atlantic states on Tuesday led to accidents on icy roads and prompted school closures. By Tuesday night, nearly 12,000 individuals in Virginia were without power.
Winter storm warnings stretch from northwest North Carolina to southern New Jersey, with the snow-and-ice mix expected to transition to rain by Wednesday afternoon. Furthermore, a separate storm system is projected to bring heavy snow from Kansas to the Great Lakes, starting Tuesday night. The Kansas Legislature canceled Wednesday meetings due to the weather, and Gov. Laura Kelly closed state offices in Topeka.
In Virginia, where Gov. Glenn Youngkin declared a state of emergency and schools and government offices were closed, the state police reported 700 accidents and numerous injuries on Tuesday. Multiple crashes in southern West Virginia temporarily closed major highways, with towing services responding to numerous calls from stranded drivers. Paige Williams, owner of Downtown Books in Lexington, Virginia, opted to close her store on Tuesday due to treacherous road conditions resembling skating rinks.
The weather forecast is crucial for planning ahead, particularly for individuals like Williams who are hoping to reopen their businesses. Williams expressed optimism about reopening on Wednesday, emphasizing the reliability of the road-clearing efforts in Lexington and Rockbridge County. However, the forecast is uncertain due to the fluctuating temperatures around freezing on Tuesday night and Wednesday. The impending rain could either improve or worsen road conditions depending on how temperatures evolve.
Williams highlighted the unpredictability of the situation, stating, “It’s just going to depend on where those temperatures go. Rain can clear things off. And rain can also freeze. And then you have a lot of skating rinks instead of roads.” Meanwhile, bitter cold temperatures persisted as an Arctic air mass extended from Portland, Oregon, to the Great Lakes region. In Butte, Montana, the temperature plummeted to a bone-chilling minus 31 degrees (minus 35 Celsius) on Tuesday morning, a concerning situation given that at least five people had succumbed to cold exposure in the area over the past two winters.
Brayton Erickson, executive director of the Butte Rescue Mission, highlighted the urgent need to provide assistance to the homeless population in the city of Butte. Advocates were seen on the streets distributing essential items like sleeping bags, jackets, and mittens to those in need. Erickson emphasized the community’s collective effort during extreme weather conditions, stating, “When it gets this cold, we kind of pull out all the stops.”
In Oregon’s Multnomah County, a state of emergency was extended through at least Thursday to address the severe weather conditions. Five emergency shelters were set to open from Tuesday night through Wednesday afternoon to provide refuge for individuals at risk. The National Weather Service warned of wind chill readings dropping to 10 degrees (minus 12 Celsius) in Portland by midweek.
Furthermore, California was preparing for heavy rainfall with an atmospheric river expected to hit the state starting late Wednesday and peak on Thursday. Meteorologist Miles Bliss from the National Weather Service reported that along with flooding, significant snowfall was anticipated in the Sierra Nevada region. The California Department of Water Resources had strategically placed over 700,000 sandbags across central and Southern California in preparation for the upcoming weather events.
This comprehensive report was compiled with contributions from Associated Press journalists spanning across the United States.
