California weather — Flood and avalanches warning amid ‘life and death’ warning for homeless people

California’s first blizzard warning since 1989

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California weathered a punishing weekend of heavy snow, torrential rain and bitterly cold temperatures.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said the conditions were posed “a matter of life or death for many of our unhoused neighbors,” and asked resident to help those without permanent shelter find emergency lodgings during the storm.

The storms triggered the state’s first blizzard warning since 1989 with record snowfall forecast in some high-elevation areas. Up to 8ft of snow was forecasted to fall in the mountains outside of Los Angeles on the storm’s second day. The National Weather Service warned that travel would be very difficult to impossible.

The storm also brought the threat of ocean water spouts and land-based tornadoes in the Los Angeles area of southeast Santa Barbara and southern Ventura counties.

A coast-to-coast winter storm pummeled much of the western and northern United States, styming travel plans and leaving nearly 1million people without power.

But the country was a landscape of climate extremes: While deep Arctic air caused temperatures to plummet as much as 30 to 40 degrees below average in parts of the West and Plains, the US also experienced its first 100-degree day of 2023. Falcon Lake in Texas hit 100F on Wednesday as temperature records were broken across the Southwest.

Key points so far

• Weather warnings and advisories issued in two dozen states by the National Weather Service
• Flight woes continue on Thursday

[22 February 2023 18:09 · Louise Boyle]

Winter storm in pictures: Snow plows on the move

Snow plows hit the interstate highway I-35 as Minnesota prepares for a winter storm, early on Wednesday, in Minneapolis. Brutal winter weather bringing snow, dangerous gusts of wind and bitter cold settled over much of the northern US on Wednesday (David Joles/Star Tribune via AP) (AP)

[22 February 2023 18:33 · Louise Boyle]

More than 1,000 flights cancelled over historic winter storm - here’s what you need to know

More than 1,000 flights have been cancelled in the United States as a severe winter storm brings heavy snowfall and dangerous whiteout conditions to parts of the country.

The storm, which prompted the National Weather Service to issue weather warnings in more than two dozen states, began Tuesday and is set to worsen Wednesday as it stretches from coast to coast.

The winter storm has already impacted travel, with flight tracking site FlightAware reporting that more than 1,100 flights were already cancelled in the US Wednesday morning. An additional 1,382 were delayed as of 10.54am ET.

Chelsea Ritschel reports.

[22 February 2023 18:51 · Louise Boyle]

‘An axis of heavy snow'

The arrival of a large arctic air mass from Canada was delivering an “axis of heavy snow” to many parts of the northern US, the National Weather Service (NWS) reported on Wednesday.

The snow will continue to move east across the Northern Plains into the Upper Midwest and Great Lakes today.

More than a foot of snowfall is likely from South Dakota heading east throught southern Minnesota, northern Wisconsin, and the Upper Peninsula and northern Lower Peninsula of Michigan, NWS reported.

Southern Minnesota could see two feet of snow, forecasters said, amid dangerous blizzard conditions on roads and possible power outages.

Snow will start making an appearance in the Northeast and New England late on Wednesday into Thursday.

An estimated four to eight inches of snow is forecast from Upstate New York into central New England. Over a foot is possible at higher elevations in New York’s Adirondacks and the Green and White Mountains of New Hampshire and Vermont.

[22 February 2023 19:10 · Louise Boyle]

Winter Storm Olive in pictures: Shivering from state to state

A youngster walks home from school in Minneapolis as snow falls from a winter storm hitting the Twin Cities on Tuesday (Jeff Wheeler/Star Tribune via AP) (AP)

[22 February 2023 19:33 · Louise Boyle]

UK supermarkets ration fruit and vegetables after suppliers badly hit by winter weather

In the UK, grocery stores are rationing fresh food items in a move that is expected to last weeks.

A poor harvest in Europe means that major supermarket chain Asda is now limiting customers to a maximum of three items like peppers, lettuce and broccoli.

Morrisons supermarkets will also start a ban of more than two items this week, with limited produce including tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce and peppers.

Supplies from Britain’s major winter source, Spain, have also been badly affected by weather.

Growers and suppliers in Morocco also have had to contend with cold temperatures, heavy rain, flooding and cancelled ferries over the past three to four weeks – all of which have affected the volume of fruit reaching Britain.

Rich Booth and Eleanor Noyce report.

[22 February 2023 19:51 · Louise Boyle]

Pictured: Winter Storm Olive

A man crosses a snow covered South Sixth St on Wednesday, February 22 in downtown Minneapolis. (Alex Kormann/Star Tribune via AP) (AP)

[22 February 2023 20:10 · Louise Boyle]

For those without snow - there’s rain and strong winds

Widespread showers and thunderstorms were on the radar for those not being pummelled by heavy snowfall, the National Weather Service said on Wednesday.

There is a slight risk of excessive rainfall from northeast Missouri into northern Illinois, northern Indiana, and southern Michigan and some spots of flash flooding.

Severe weather was also a risk from central Oklahoma northeast through central Missouri with blustery winds. Gusts of 35-45 mph are possible for the Mississippi and Ohio Valleys.

Parts of the west and High Plains will experience strong winds of 50-60 mph too, and as high as 80 mph in some locations. The risk of weather that can spark fires will be elevated across the southern High Plains.

[22 February 2023 20:31 · Louise Boyle]

Winter Storm Olive in pictures: Shivering from state to state (part II)

Pedestrians struggle to keep warm while walking along Tejon Street as temperatures hovered in the single digits after a winter storm packing light snow and high winds rolled into the Pikes Peak region on Wednesday Colorado Springs, Colorado (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) (AP)

[22 February 2023 20:50 · Louise Boyle]

Thousands of Californians plunged into darkness due to fire

With more severe weather forecast for California, residents in Oakland had already had their share of issues after being left in the dark due to a fire earlier this week.

The blaze at a PG&E substation caused widespread power outages in the region when it broke out on Sunday and damaged a transformer.

Graig Graziosi has more at the link below.

[22 February 2023 21:10 · Louise Boyle]

Which parts of the country will have most severe impacts from Winter Storm Olive?

The National Weather Service has issued a “Winter Storm Severity Index (WSSI)” Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, showing where moderate, major and extreme winter weather impacts are expected from the West Coast to New England.

The NWS also noted that travel is not advised in the Upper Midwest due to blizzard conditions.

The areas which will be most impacted by the winter storm from February 22-24 (NOAA/NWS)