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

TX deploys emergency resources before storm

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.

Key points

• Repeat storm to hit US this weekend, bringing possible tornadoes to southeast
• SEE IT: Overnight tornado damages Jackson County, Florida
• Four dead as tornadoes and floods tear through East Coast
• Photos show homes and cars destroyed by tornado winds in the Florida Panhandle
• Storm Finn leaves 890,000 without power

[10 January 2024 23:00 · Katie Hawkinson]

ICYMI: US vice president’s plane diverted because of storm

US Vice President Kamala Harris’s plane, Air Force Two, was diverted on its way back from Atlanta on Tuesday evening because of weather conditions, her office said.

“Tonight, en route from Atlanta, GA, Air Force 2 was diverted to Dulles International Airport from Joint Base Andrews due to inclement weather,” Harris’s spokesperson, Kirsten Allen, said in a statement.

The plane encountered “wind shear,” according to a source familiar with the incident. Wind shear is a change in wind speed or direction over a short distance, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

[10 January 2024 23:30 · Katie Hawkinson]

‘Bomb cyclone’ set to hit Ohio Valley, Great Lakes region this weekend

Last week, forecasters warned of a potential “bomb cyclone,” that would hit the Ohio Valley and Great Lakes region beginning Friday. Now, meteorologists have more details as the weekend approaches.

On Friday, the Ohio Valley will face widespread rain up to an inch before transitioning to snow in the evening, according to the National Weather Service (NWS) for Wilmington, Ohio. The low pressure system will also bring dangerous winds, the NWS forecasts, as a result of a “very tight pressure gradient.”

The storm will bring “widespread precipitation, wind and much colder temperatures for the upcoming weekend,” the NWS said.

This new storm means the region will have little time to recover from this week’s weather events. Cincinnati, Ohio set a precipitation record on Tuesday, reaching 1.61 inches and beating the previous high of 1.57 inches set in 1898. Dayton and Columbus also set precipitation records.

Meanwhile, winds up to 50 miles per hour hit the region Tuesday night into Wednesday morning.

[11 January 2024 00:00 · Katie Hawkinson]

ICYMI: Partial dam break in Connecticut prompted evacuation

A partial dam break on Connecticut’s Yantic River caused “life threatening” flash floods and prompted the evacuation of a riverside town.

“Life threatening flash flooding is possible in areas downstream from the Fitchville Pond Dam along the Yantic River,” the National Weather Service (NWS) said.

Norwich city officials have announced a mandatory evacuation for all residents living near the river from the Bozrah town line to the area of Backus Hospital.

The partial break came after days of snow and rain hit the northeast, with one town in Connecticut seeing 17 inches as of Sunday, according to the NWS.

[11 January 2024 00:30 · Katie Hawkinson]

PHOTOS: Tornadoes cause destruction throughout Florida panhandle

A series of suspected tornadoes tore through Florida this week, causing destruction and injuries.

An uprooted tree and debris pictured in Jackson County, Florida on 9 January after a tornado tore through the region (Courtesy of Ramsey Romero)

Damage caused by a tornado in Panama City, Florida on Tuesday evening (Bay County Sheriff's Office/AFP)

A damaged gas station and debris pictured in Jackson County, Florida on 9 January following a tornado (Courtesy of Ramsey Romero)

[11 January 2024 01:00 · Katie Hawkinson]

Repeat storms to come Friday, this weekend ahead of sub-zero temperatures next week

Repeat winter storms will hit several regions of the US on Friday and throughout the weekend, meteorologists say.

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 in the northeast, according to the NWS.

Early next week, 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 NWS said. 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.

The National Weather Service warns the southeast will experience more extreme weather beginning 11 January (National Weather Service)