Winter storm slams parts of US; tornado, flood warnings issued

Storms hit United States, accompanied by tornado warnings and high winds blowing roofs off the homes in the South, and another burying cities across Midwest in almost a foot of snow, as it makes its way towards the Northeast, news agency AP reported.

The extreme weather is likely to affect Iowa’s January 15 precinct causeses, where, according to AP news, snow is expected to be followed by frigid temperatures that would drift below zero degrees (minus 18 Celsius). The weather has also forced former President Donald Trump’s campaign to cancel multiple appearances by Arkansas Governor Sarah Sanders and her father, former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, who were scheduled to court Iowa voters on Trump’s behalf on Monday.

According to White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, winter storms continue to be a threat across the country. “We are closely monitoring the weather, and we encourage all Americans to do the same,” Jean-Pierre said.

Daniel Henderson clears snow from his driveway after a winter storm passed in Waukee, Iowa, US, January 9, 2024. (Photo: Reuters)

Deadly storms and tornado warnings

At least three people have died after a sprawling storm took over US South, and 55 mph (88 kph) winds and hail moved through the Florida Panhandle, and into parts of Alabama and Georgia early Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service.

According to the weather agency, there have been several reports of confirmed tornadoes, as monitored by the radar. Over 200,000 customers were without power in Florida, Alabama, and Georgia, while nearly 150,000 people in North Carolina lacked electricity, according to the PowerOutage.us website.

In Florida:

A wind gust of 106 mph (171 kph) was recorded before dawn near the coast at Walton County in Florida.

One of the deaths were reported near Cottonwood, Alabama, a small city near the Georgia and Florida borders, after a small tornado touched the area, according to the Houston County coroner. Another death was reported in Jonesboro, police in Clayton County, south of Atlanta said.

Sparks fly as a tornado touches power cables, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, US January 6, 2024 in this screen grab obtained from social media video. (Photo: Reuters)

The storms also caused injuries in Florida. In Panama City, the police have asked residents to stay indoors and off the roads “unless absolutely necessary”. Moreover, in Walton, Bay and Jackson counties in Florida, the national weather service is planning to send out three survey teams to examine suspected damages caused by tornado on Wednesday. Two more such teams would be sent to assess the damages at Houston County, Alabama, and Calhoun County, Georgia.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has issued an executive order to include 49 counties in North Florida under a state of emergency.

In Georgia:

Heavy rains across Georgia caused flash floods, blocked lanes on freeways and led the air traffic to pause at Atlanta’s airport. According to AP, over 80 public school systems called their classes off while others resorted to teaching students online or delayed the start of in-person classes.

Further, rain and winds extended into the nation’s capital Tuesday night, forcing Vice President Kamala Harris’ aircraft to divert from Joint Base Andrews to Dulles International Airport near Washington when it encountered wind shear — a sudden shift in wind direction or speed — as Harris returned from a trip to Georgia.

In North Carolina:

One person reportedly died after a suspected tornado struck a mobile home park in the town of Claremont, north of Charlotte, according to a spokesperson for Catawba County.

A car lies in flood waters after heavy rainfalls moved in through the area of Spartanburg, South Carolina, US, January 9, 2024. (Photo: Reuters)

The North Carolina’s Department of Transportation said in a statement that North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper declared a state of emergency before the arrival of the storm. Some schools also cancelled classes or shut down early.

South Carolina was too affected by the tornado.

Snow in Midwest

A snowstorm started Monday, blanketing up to 12 inches (30 centimeters) — a broad area stretching from southeastern Colorado, all the way up to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

Two deaths were reported by the news agency AP, as a result of poor road conditions in the aftermath of the snowstorm. Layers of slush and snow covered the center and fog lined on the highways. An SUV driver was killed following a head-on collision with a semitrailer on state Highway 18 early Tuesday. The driver of the semitrailer was not hurt, AP reported.

In western Michigan, a 35-year-old woman died after she lost control of her minivan on a slushy highway and it collided with an SUV, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office said.

Winter storm warnings were issued in Madison, Wisconsin, Northwestern Illinois, Chicago area, Gary, and Indiana. For the Kansas City metro area in Kansas and Missouri, it was the first major winter storm of the season.

Heading towards Northeast

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, news agency AP reported.

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy already declared a state of emergency as of 5 pm Tuesday, encouraging people not to underestimate the storm.

In New York City, officials began evacuating nearly 2,000 migrants housed at a sprawling white tent complex at a former airport located in a remote corner of Brooklyn. An aide to New York City Mayor Eric Adams pointed to predicted wind speeds of more than 70 mph (112 kph) Tuesday night.

In Western New York, the state banned empty trucks and trailers on numerous major roadways.

In Maine, Governor Janet Mills delayed the opening of all state offices until noon Wednesday due to the storm.

Massachusetts electricity provider National Grid said that they were prepared for possible hazardous wind gusts and heavy rains and have additional crews and personnel to respond to any power outages.

Freezing temperatures and snow in Southwest

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, news agency AP highlighted.

In northeastern New Mexico, the state Department of Transportation said snowplows spent hours Monday afternoon clearing US Highway 56 to free more than 25 stranded vehicles.

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