Several regions of the US are facing devastating storm conditions Monday through mid-week as a winter storm blasts across the midwest and Storm Finn blows into the Gulf Coast.
The Florida panhandle was hit with high winds and several reported tornadoes overnight Monday into Tuesday thanks to Storm Finn, a major winter storm passing through the region. At least three deaths have been attributed to suspected tornadoes or strong winds from Storm Finn.
Meanwhile, several midwest and northeast states are facing threats of blizzards and dangerous storm conditions from Storm Finn. Multiple northeast states will also face torrential rainfall and flooding Tuesday afternoon through Wednesday, the National Weather Service forecasts.
Flooding rain and damaging winds will hit Boston, Massachusetts overnight, while residents of New York City should remain braced for potential flooding through Wednesday. Travel chaos has continued, with more than 2,000 flights within, into, or out of the US delayed as of Tuesday morning. Road travel is also dangerous in many parts of the country, with officials warning people to stay home if possible.
More than 1,000 flights within, into, or out of the US were cancelled on Tuesday amid winter storms in nearly every region of the US. More than 6,000 flights were delayed, according to FlightAware. Chicago O’Hare International Airport, Newark Liberty International Airport and LaGuardia Airport were among the most impacted.
Several counties in central and southern Florida are under a tornado watch until Tuesday at 9 pm local time, impacting 10 million people, along with 1,875 schools and 122 hospitals. Wind gusts of 70 miles per hour and quarter-sized hail are also possible. Other states like New York are banning empty tractor-trailers amid severe weather to prevent accidents caused by high winds toppling the vehicles.
As heavy rain hits New York’s Orange County, the storm is expected to blow into New York City overnight. The National Weather Service is forecasting strong winds and flash flooding for New York City residents the evening of 9 January. At least 400,000 customers along the East Coast — from Florida to New York — are without power as of Tuesday afternoon, according to PowerOutage.us.
In summary, the severe storms impacting various regions of the US have caused widespread travel disruptions, power outages, and dangerous weather conditions. The authorities continue to issue warnings and advise residents to stay safe and avoid unnecessary travel.