Severe storms are sweeping across much of the eastern United States, bringing heavy snowfall, high winds, and potential tornadoes. According to multiple reports, mid-Atlantic states and Washington D.C. are at greatest risk for severe weather by Monday afternoon.
Key Takeaways
Severe storms are causing widespread disruption across the eastern United States, with high winds, heavy snowfall, and potential tornadoes affecting multiple states. The National Weather Service has issued warnings for damaging winds and tornadoes in mid-Atlantic regions by Monday afternoon. Schools have closed in several states due to hazardous conditions.
The National Weather Service warned that a line of severe storms with damaging winds would cross much of the Eastern U.S., starting Sunday afternoon and moving through the Mississippi, Tennessee, and Ohio valleys. The storm threat was expected to enter the Appalachians early Monday, then move toward the East Coast where “severe thunderstorms with widespread damaging winds and several tornadoes” were anticipated.
In the Upper Midwest, blizzard conditions persisted in parts of Wisconsin and Michigan, with as much as 2 feet (61 centimeters) of snow by morning. Additional snowfall of a foot (30 centimeters) to 20 inches (51 centimeters) was expected in upper Michigan on Monday. Schools were closed in numerous communities in both states, including Milwaukee and Marquette, Michigan.
The storms have caused significant disruptions nationwide, with more than 2,000 flights canceled early Monday. Chicago O'Hare International Airport saw over 350 cancellations, while Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International had another 200. More than 250,000 utility customers in six Great Lakes states were without electricity early Monday.
Meanwhile, Hawaii continued to be affected by a separate storm system that caused severe flooding over the weekend. Some areas of Maui received more than 20 inches (51 centimeters) of rain, leading to flooded roads and evacuation notices. Residents like Jesse Wald reported unprecedented rainfall, with coastal roads collapsing due to mud and sediment.
Many schools in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia were closed Monday as a precaution against the severe weather. Governor Josh Stein of North Carolina urged residents to enable emergency alerts on their phones ahead of expected wind gusts of 74 mph (119 kph). In Maryland, many school systems planned to dismiss students early on Monday.
The cold front was expected to move off the East Coast by Tuesday, bringing sharply colder weather in its wake. By Tuesday morning, wind chills below freezing were anticipated to reach the Gulf Coast and the Florida Panhandle with freeze warnings in effect in parts of the Southeast and parts of Arkansas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Texas.
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