Severe Winter Storm Continues to impact the U.S.
A deadly coast-to-coast winter storm that swept across the United States this weekend continues to threaten parts of the South,Midwest,and northeast with more flooding. as life-threatening cold air moves into the Central U.S.,the storm’s impact is being felt across multiple states.
The weekend weather system, which initially flooded parts of California, brought dangerous conditions to several states, including Kentucky, where at least nine people died as frigid floodwaters reached historic highs. Another person died in Georgia, according to local officials.
Although the storm has moved further east, severe weather will “continue for several more days,” said Kentucky Emergency Management Director Eric Gibson. Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear warned of continued flooding, including riverbank flooding, in the coming days.
“We’re going to be experiencing widespread flooding for at least another 24 hours, if not more,” Beshear told CNN on Sunday afternoon.
On Friday, Beshear declared a state of emergency for Kentucky ahead of the storm. On Sunday, he thanked President Donald Trump for approving a federal disaster declaration, making federal aid funding available to impacted areas, including search and rescue operations.
“We are in an emergency search and rescue mode,” Beshear told CNN Sunday. “We will be throughout the rest of today and probably through at least tomorrow.”
Rainfall totals reached staggering levels in Kentucky, with Middletown – a suburb of Louisville – recording 8.45 inches. Saturday alone broke daily rainfall records in multiple locations, including Bowling Green, which saw 4.23 inches, shattering the previous record of 1.74 inches set in 1995.
Emergency crews with the Kentucky National Guard and the Kentucky State Police performed over 1,000 rescues in under 24 hours,Beshear said Sunday. First responders were also going “door-to-door” in flooded areas to ensure everyone is accounted for.
“from mudslides in the east to snow in the west, the situation is dangerous. Please plan ahead, avoid travel and stay safe, Kentucky,” Beshear said in a social media post Sunday morning.
In Virginia, flash flood emergencies were issued in three counties – Tazewell, Mercer, and Summers – where swift water rescues were underway. In some areas,high waters have mixed with snow and ice,according to the National Weather Service.
“The frigid water temperatures … can result in rapid hypothermia for anyone caught in the flooding,” the National Weather Service office in Blacksburg, Virginia, warned.
In Indiana, drone images show homes and roads submerged in floodwaters amid snowy weather on Sunday. “It floods down here every year but it’s been awhile as it has been this bad,” said Hardinsburg resident Shelby Sandlin,in a Facebook post.
Similar conditions may arise as the threat of flooding remains in the Tennessee and Ohio Valleys and parts of the Appalachians, according to the weather service. Further east, heavy snow is expected in New England and the Great Lakes into Monday.
Across the country, millions are under a winter storm warning, and a high wind warning is in place through Monday afternoon for much of the Mid-atlantic and Northeast, where wind gusts could peak as high as 60 mph.
The storm led to widespread power outages, leaving more than 500,000 customers without electricity as of late Sunday across the Eastern U.S.,according to Poweroutage.us.
Meanwhile, life-threatening cold will grip the Central U.S. this week, bringing potentially record-breaking lows and dangerous wind chills from the Northern Plains to the Gulf Coast. In the Kansas City area, temperatures will remain below freezing all week, and cities like Dallas and houston will see double-digit temperature drops from Tuesday to Wednesday.
Gusty winds may drive wind chills as low as 60 degrees below zero in the northern plains and below freezing across parts of Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Tennessee. Sub-zero wind chills could impact Kentucky as it recovers from the weekend flooding.
A winter storm forming over the Rockies is projected to dump 4 to 10 inches of snow from kansas to Kentucky, with some areas seeing even higher totals. South of the snow zone, ice is forecast for cities like Oklahoma city and Little Rock. The storm will then move into the mid-Atlantic, including areas battered by recent storms.
more than 30 million people from Montana to Texas are under cold alerts across the country.
In Kentucky, water levels reached historic highs two years after catastrophic flooding left 43 people dead and devastated parts of the state. Beshear on Sunday called the impact to the state “massive” and cited “hundreds of water rescues” and “multiple fatalities.” The deaths include at least one child, he said.
“We believe this number is going to grow,” Beshear said of the weekend death toll while urging Kentuckians to stay off the roads, adding several of the deaths have been attributed to motor vehicle accidents.
A 73-year-old resident of Manchester, Kentucky, died in the Horse Creek area after being swept away by floodwaters Saturday night, officials said. The man was driving on Kentucky Highway 8, according to the Clay County Coroner’s Office. He was carried away by the heavy currents after leaving the vehicle,the coroner’s office told CNN.
Two more people were confirmed dead in Kentucky after a vehicle was swept away amid flash flooding around 10:30 p.m. Saturday in Hart County, according to a national Weather Service report.
In Georgia, one person died in the grove Park area of Atlanta overnight when a large tree fell on a home amid “tremendous thunderstorm activity” in the area, Atlanta Fire Capt. Scott Powell said Sunday.Fire officials found the person trapped inside the house upon arrival around 5 a.m., he said. But the person ultimately passed away, Powell added.
Devastating US Winter Storm: An Expert analysis
Interviewer: Sarah Chen, Senior Editor, world-today-news.com
Guest: Dr. Evelyn Reed, climatologist and Disaster Response Specialist
Interview: Unprecedented Winter Storm Pummels the United States
Sarah Chen: dr. Reed, thank you for joining us. The recent coast-to-coast winter storm has caused widespread devastation across the United States. Can you give us an overview of its impact and its unusual severity?
Dr. Evelyn Reed: The storm’s intensity and breadth are truly remarkable. We’ve seen a confluence of factors contributing to its severity: an unusually potent low-pressure system drawing in moisture from the Pacific and the Gulf of Mexico, combined with a important temperature gradient, leading to intense precipitation. The resulting flooding in Kentucky and elsewhere is historic. The rapid transition from heavy rain to freezing temperatures in some areas exacerbated the impact, leading to both flash flooding and icy conditions, making rescue efforts considerably more challenging. we’re also seeing a concerning pattern of increasingly intense and unpredictable whether events, which underscores the increasing effects of climate change.
Sarah Chen: Kentucky has been particularly hard hit. The death toll is rising, and the flooding has reached unprecedented levels. what are some of the contributing factors to this devastation in Kentucky specifically?
Dr. Evelyn Reed: Kentucky’s topography plays a significant role.The terrain is such that heavy rainfall rapidly runs off into rivers and streams, leading to extremely rapid rises in water levels. Coupled with the already saturated ground from prior precipitation, the sheer volume of rainfall overwhelmed the drainage systems. The historic rainfall totals in places like Middletown and Bowling Green underscore the severity of the situation. Furthermore, the timing of this storm, so soon after previous significant flooding events, left communities with limited time to recover and prepare adequately. This is a critical factor in understanding the immense impact of this disaster, especially considering the lingering physical and psychological trauma from previous floods.
Sarah Chen: Beyond Kentucky, other states experienced severe impacts. How widespread was the storm’s effect, and what variations did different regions experience?
Dr. Evelyn Reed: The storm’s impact was truly coast-to-coast. While flooding was devastating in the South and Midwest, other regions faced different hazards.Virginia experienced flash floods mixed with snow and ice, creating a unique and dangerous combination. Indiana saw widespread flooding,and the great Lakes region and New England faced significant snowfall. This diverse range of impacts highlights the importance of thorough and location-specific disaster preparedness strategies across the country. each region needs to tailor its plans to the specific hazards they are moast likely to experience, and we need nationwide coordination to ensure effective responses across various weather events.
Sarah Chen: The forecast speaks of more challenges to come, including another round of severe winter weather. What should people in affected areas expect, and what precautions should they take?
Dr. Evelyn Reed: The ongoing threat of flooding, particularly in river basins, remains a major concern. In addition, a considerable cold snap will bring life-threatening temperatures to the central US. People should heed all warnings and advisories from local officials, continue to monitor weather forecasts, and be prepared for power outages and hazardous travel conditions. It’s crucial to have emergency supplies on hand, including food, water, and warm clothing. As cold temperatures often necessitate increased electricity consumption, maintaining an adequate supply of option heating sources is also extremely relevant. And, of course, staying informed is an absolute must.
Sarah Chen: Dr.Reed, thank you for your insights and expertise on this critical situation. Your analysis is critical for helping people understand the scope and severity of this impactful event and the subsequent challenges that people will face across the nation. Providing this detailed information will help to mitigate the widespread risks that affect millions of people.