Winter storm havoc persists with increasing snow, wind, and rain as power outages escalate in Northeast
Powerful winter storm intensifies, posing major threats of heavy snow, rain, and strong winds in the Northeast Multiple fatalities reported across 3 states Stay prepared and stay safe
A powerful winter storm is forecasted to bring heavy snow and rain to the Northeast on Wednesday, following its destructive path across the Eastern US. The storm has caused widespread power outages in several states, with almost 900,000 homes and businesses affected, including over 160,000 in New York. New York Governor Kathy Hochul expressed concern for residents without power during freezing temperatures on Tuesday night.
⢠A deadly storm has claimed at least four lives in Alabama, Georgia, and North Carolina, as fierce winds and heavy rain pounded the states.
A pedestrian navigates a snow-covered street in Iowa City, Iowa, on Tuesday.
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- Additional snowfall is expected in the Midwest and Great Lakes, with the possibility of continued blizzard conditions in the Northwest. The National Weather Service is warning of significant travel impacts due to falling snow levels and the potential for power outages and coastal flooding in the Mid-Atlantic and New England as strong winds continue to affect over 100 million people.
Widespread heavy rainfall is expected to result in significant river and flash flooding from the western Carolinas to the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast, possibly leading to "numerous" flash floods. The National Weather Service has identified the western Carolinas as most at risk for flash floods, followed by the region from Virginia through southern New York and into Connecticut to Rhode Island. In Maryland, multiple water rescues were performed on Tuesday, and Annapolis city officials are preparing for floodwaters to reach a "historic" 5 feet. Additionally, major metropolitan areas along the East Coast, such as New York City and Philadelphia, may experience flooding with possible rainfall of 2 to 4 inches.
⢠Severe Weather Impacts: Treacherous driving conditions are expected in parts of New England and the interior Northeast, with forecasts of up to a foot of snow and wind gusts reaching 55 mph through Wednesday afternoon. This has already resulted in closures on an Iowa section of Interstate 80 due to whiteout conditions and a multi-vehicle crash. In Kansas, approximately 30 people, including children, were stranded and required rescue from their vehicles during a blizzard on Monday, while Nebraska State Patrol has responded to over 200 weather-related incidents since the start of the storm.
⢠Tornado Activity and Destruction: A total of 23 tornado reports have been recorded across Texas, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina since Monday. In South Carolina's city of Bamberg, significant damage from a potential tornado was reported, resulting in the collapse of the century-old City Hall building.
Over 1,350 flights were canceled and over 8,700 were delayed on Tuesday, according to FlightAware. Some of the cancellations were due to the grounding of the Boeing 737 Max 9, while others were caused by thunderstorms in Atlanta, Dallas-Fort Worth, Florida, and North Carolina. If you're in the storm's path, bookmark CNN's lite site for fast connectivity on low bandwidth.
Migrants are evacuated by school buses from tents at Floyd Bennett Field to a local high school in preparation for a storm Tuesday in Brooklyn.
Spencer Platt/Getty Images
Northeast bracing for heavy snow, rain and winds
Heavy, moisture-laden snow is expected to move through the high elevations of the Northeast until Wednesday morning, gradually tapering off throughout the day.
The National Weather Service cautioned that this snow could adhere to trees and power lines, potentially causing power outages and scattered tree damage when paired with gusty winds surpassing 55 mph.
The weather service stated that as the system moves out on Wednesday, conditions are anticipated to gradually improve, although rain and strong winds will continue into the afternoon in the Northeast. Governor Hochul of New York expressed concern, stating that the storm has the potential to be "life threatening" and that she is particularly worried about individuals enduring freezing temperatures without power due to ongoing outages.
"We don't have time for the restoration because the bucket trucks can't go up there when the winds are still high," Hochul stated in an interview with CNN affiliate Spectrum News NY1. She also mentioned that the number of people without power in the state will "increase significantly during the night."
Possible flooding, especially in the Hudson Valley, is another major concern, Hochul said.
SIOUX CITY, IOWA - JANUARY 08: A snow plow clears the parking lot outside the Horizon Family Restaurant on January 8.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images
Examine the potential impact of the powerful winter storm on each city. New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy has declared a state of emergency in anticipation of hazardous conditions and is advising residents to stay alert.
"This storm should not be underestimated; it could be quite challenging for us," he warned.
While the system is expected to weaken by the end of the week, many in the eastern US may still not see relief. There is the possibility of another storm arriving on Friday and continuing into the weekend, affecting the same areas once again.
Deaths reported across 3 states
Firefighters rescue a man in car stuck in the flooded area in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Tuesday.
Peter Zay/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images
Severe storms in the Southeast caused multiple fatalities in Georgia, Alabama, and North Carolina as powerful winds and heavy rainfall saturated the ground. One tragic incident involved a driver in Jonesboro, Georgia, who was killed when a tree fell onto their vehicle during the severe weather on Tuesday morning. The Clayton County Police Department informed CNN that the weather likely played a role in the fatal accident.
Another individual passed away on Tuesday in Birmingham, Alabama, when a tree collapsed onto a vehicle, as reported by Birmingham Fire and Rescue Captain Orlando Reynolds. The rescue teams discovered the person deceased in the car with the tree still resting on top of it on Tuesday morning. The region had experienced more than 2 inches of rain, saturating the ground, and had winds gusting over 30 mph on Tuesday.
An 81-year-old woman was tragically killed during Tuesday's storm in Cottonwood, Alabama, over 210 miles away. According to Houston County Commission Chairman Brandon Shoupe, the woman was found dead after her mobile home was flipped multiple times. Shoupe also reported that several buildings in the town were damaged and that recovery efforts could potentially last "many, many weeks."
A person was killed and two others were critically injured in a mobile home community in Claremont, North Carolina, about 45 miles northwest of Charlotte, according to Catawba County's communications director Amy McCauley. The National Weather Service is currently assessing whether the incident was caused by a tornado.
Contributions to this report were made by CNN meteorologists Robert Shackelford, Mary Gilberts, and Taylor Ward, as well as CNN journalists Sara Smart, Rob Frehse, Jillian Sykes, Jamiel Lynch, Isabel Rosales, Wes Bruer, Chris Boyette, Gregory Wallace, and Pete Muntean.
