After roaring across the Midwest with blizzard conditions en route to the Northeast, a massive storm with heavy rain and powerful winds unleashed tornadoes across the South on Tuesday, ripping roofs off houses, collapsing trees, and blowing over RVs.
At least three people were killed in rain, wind, and possible tornadoes in the South, while several people were injured in Florida.
The storm shut down major routes across the central United States as it pounded the region with whiteout conditions and snow-packed roadways. The Kansas Highway Patrol responded to nearly 100 vehicle crashes on Monday and early Tuesday, 19 of which resulted in injuries. The emergency management department in Boise City, Oklahoma, claimed it responded to calls reporting multiple stranded motorists and that all roads were stopped.
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In Florida, several schools and government facilities were shuttered. Early dismissals were also planned for some schools in Virginia and Maryland. Delays and cancellations were reported at airports across the Midwest and Southeast on Tuesday morning.
In the Southeast, the National Weather Service recorded at least three tornadoes in the Florida Panhandle, with wind gusts reaching 106 mph. According to the meteorological service, a thunderstorm across southern Alabama and southwestern Georgia featured winds of up to 70 mph with hail the size of baseballs.
Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida proclaimed a state of emergency in 49 of the state’s 67 counties.
Meanwhile, the Northeast was bracing for heavy rain just days after being pummeled by a big snowstorm that dumped up to 22 inches of snow in New England. The danger for flooding will be broad as the storm advances toward the Northeast later Tuesday and rain begins to fall over snow-covered areas, particularly along low-lying areas, swollen creeks, and streams.
Heavy rainfall will bring widespread and potentially significant river and flash flooding to the Eastern U.S Tuesday. Severe thunderstorms are possible across portions of the Southeast Tuesday. Heavy snow will continue across portions of the Midwest and in the Cascades. pic.twitter.com/CvgU6FXI76
— National Weather Service (@NWS) January 9, 2024
The National Weather Service predicts 1 to 3 inches of rain for New England by Tuesday night. Wind and flood advisories have been issued for much of the coast, with gusts of up to 50 mph expected. New York City, Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia are expected to receive more than an inch of rain.