“Severe Spring Storm Causes Havoc with Snow and Tornadoes”
As spring begins, a powerful storm system wreaks havoc across multiple regions in the country. The Midwest bore the brunt of the chaos, with a blizzard dumping more than a foot of snow and tornadoes tearing through neighborhoods. The same storm is now moving towards the East Coast, promising heavy rainfall. Millions wake up to scenes of destruction in the Midwest on the official first day of spring.
Yesterday, blizzard warnings stretched from Kansas to Minnesota, creating perilous whiteout conditions that led to overturned semis on the roads. In Nebraska, authorities urged residents to avoid travel as snow and strong winds caused road closures, downed power lines, car accidents, and prompted one trooper to advise people to stay indoors. The storm has been described as the worst of the season.
Key snowfall totals from the blizzard include 14.5 inches in Lakota, Iowa, 12 inches in Algona, Iowa, Waco, Nebraska, and 10 inches in Gove City, Kansas. Meanwhile, in Gary, Indiana, possible tornadoes ripped roofs off buildings, and eight tornado reports were recorded in north-central Illinois, with additional damage from straight-line winds near Chicago and Indianapolis.
In Texas, powerful winds stirred up a windstorm that obscured the sun, while nearby southern states battled wildfires fueled by strong winds. Reports of fierce winds include 91 mph in Three Rivers, New Mexico, 81 mph in Lipscomb, Texas, 68 mph in Garden City, Kansas, 66 mph in Davenport, Iowa, and 60 mph in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Firefighters in Arkansas were contending with 38 wildfires, and crews in Florida continued to combat a large wildfire in southwest Miami-Dade that disrupted access to the Florida Keys. A red flag warning was issued for much of southern Florida due to low humidity levels and gusty winds, creating conditions where fires could quickly spread.
As of Thursday morning, 10 million people were under winter weather advisories and warnings, with rain and snow expected in the Great Lakes region. Air travel disruptions are anticipated in airports from the Great Lakes to the Mid-Atlantic due to windy conditions and precipitation, particularly impacting Chicago, Detroit, Buffalo, Washington D.C., Philadelphia, and Raleigh.
Later in the day, heavy rain is forecasted to soak the I-94 corridor. Fire danger persists with 15 million people under fire alerts, mainly in the western high Plains and eastern Florida. Areas at critical risk include Roswell, New Mexico, to Amarillo, Texas, in the west, and Orlando to Miami, Florida, in the east.
Tomorrow, the last remnants of winter will bring wet snow to northern New England and chilly winds to much of the Northeast as the storm system moves away from the U.S.
