Winter storm warnings: Flash flooding continues as weekend threatens repeat storms
At least four deaths were attributed to Storm Finn, a major winter storm pummeling the US including Florida and New York
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As the northeast braces for flooding rain and damaging winds through Wednesday, meteorologists forecast a second storm will blow through the eastern half of the US late this week.
The southeast should brace for a repeat of destructive winds and possible tornadoes, the National Weather Service (NWS) Storm Prediction Center said Wednesday. Meanwhile, the midwest can expect even more snow over the weekend, while rain will continue to beat down on the northeast, according to the NWS.
As for Wednesday, flooding rain and damaging winds will hit Boston, Massachusetts overnight, while New York City residents should remain braced for potential flooding throughout the day.
Meanwhile, the south is recovering from the destruction of a devastating storm earlier this week.
Four people have died and 890,000 homes were left without power after Storm Finn ripped through the Atlantic Coast, from Florida to New York. The deaths were reported in North Carolina, Georgia and Alabama.
Fourteen tornadoes were reported across Florida, Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina on Tuesday, causing significant damage, blowing roofs off homes and prompting rescues in Florida’s panhandle, which was hit with 55 mph winds and hail.
Repeat storm to hit southeast US this weekend, bringing possible tornadoes
Meteorologists are forecasting a second storm to hit the eastern US this weekend.
While residents of the Ohio Valley and Great Lakes regions can expect a potential “bomb cyclone,” forecasters are predicting a repeat of winds up to 75 miles per hour and potential tornadoes for the southeast US, the Storm Prediction Center said.
This forecast comes on the heels of destructive tornadoes that below through the southern US earlier this week. At least four people died as a result of the hazardous weather in the region, and several communities in Florida are still reckoning with the physical destruction.
100,000 without power in New York on Wednesday afternoon
More than 100,000 customers are still without power in New York as of Wednesday afternoon, following overnight torrential rain and high winds, according to PowerOutage.us.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul said crews have already restored electricity to 200,000 homes and they expect to assist more customers over the coming days.
However, another storm is predicted to hit New York and the rest of the northeast in just two days, bringing more heavy rain. The National Weather Service predicts a 100 per cent chance of precipitation Friday evening into Saturday.
SEE IT: Stunning satellite imagery shows Storm Finn blowing north
The CIRA Lab at Colorado State University posted stunning satellite imagery showing Storm Finn’s path through the eastern US at sunrise Wednesday morning.
Winter storm triggers rare blizzard warnings in Pacific Northwest
Winter Storm Gerri has triggered blizzard warnings in the Pacific Northwest’s Cascade and Olympic Mountains, a rare alert for the region that officials haven’t triggered for more than a decade, The Weather Channel reports.
Travel will be dangerous over the Cascade Mountains through Thursday, according to the National Weather Service, as heavy snow blankets the mountain range.
Sub-zero temperatures forecasted next week across much of US
More than a dozen states in the middle of the country can expect subzero temperatures as arctic air blows across North America early next week, the National Weather Service (NWS) said.
Meanwhile, several other states as far south as Texas will drop to lows of 20, according to the NWS.
These conditions will prove particularly dangerous to vulnerable groups, such as infants, the elderly, and unhoused people.
Southeast reeling from tornado damage just weeks after the most expensive year for climate-related disasters ends
The US was hit with highest number yet of billion-dollar climate disasters in 2023. Now, just weeks after saying goodbye to the record-setting year, the southeast is starting off 2024 with widespread destruction from high winds and several suspected tornadoes.
The top disasters from last year included 17 storms, four major floods, two tropical cyclones, two tornado events, a winter storm, a wildfire, and a combined drought/heatwave.
Louise Boyle has more on how climate-related disasters impacted the US last year:
US hit with highest ever number of billion-dollar climate disasters in 2023
There were 28 separate events that caused losses in excess of $1bn
Travel chaos likely to persist throughout the week
With thousands of flights cancelled in the last five days and more extreme winter weather forecasted for this weekend, travel chaos is likely here to stay.
Nearly 3,000 within, into, or out of the United States were delayed by Wednesday afternoon, with more than 600 cancelled so far. Thousands more flights had similar fates as a winter storm blasted the northeast last weekend and Storm Finn brought tornadoes to the south earlier this week.
Crews are restoring power to much of northeast
The number of customers without power is falling, according to PowerOutage.us, as crews repair power lines damaged by Tuesday’s storm.
As of Wednesday afternoon, just over 90,000 people in New York are without power, a marked improvement from overnight Tuesday into Wednesday after torrential rain and heavy winds blasted the northeast.
There may not be much reprieve, however. The National Weather Service forecasts another storm will hit the northeast late this week and weekend, bringing more rain and potentially dangerous winds.
New Hampshire beach town flooded after torrential rainfall
Torrential rain transformed the streets of New Hampshire beach towns into rivers and flooded countless homes on Wednesday morning.
Homes in Hampton Beach, New Hampshire were evacuated after the flooding began overnight Tuesday into Wednesday, NBC Boston reports. Now, entire neighbourhoods are underwater and the streets are completely flooded.
Flooding will remain a concern for the region through Thursday. Residents will have a small reprieve before heavy rains are forecasted to pick up again Friday evening, the National Weather Service said.
More snow to hit Iowa as Republican caucuses approach: NWS
Several more inches of snow will blanket Iowa Thursday night into Friday.
“This will include much of the coming weekend, and even into Mon and that evening for the IA caucus,” the National Weather Service said.
Read more on how the extreme winter weather in Iowa has impacted Republican candidates’ campaigns and the upcoming caucuses on 15 January:
Iowa buried in snow just days before the state’s Republican caucuses
Several towns in Iowa are covered in multiple inches of snow just days ahead of the Republican caucuses
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