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.
ICYMI: Multiple deaths attributable to high winds from Storm Finn
At least three deaths can be attributed to suspected tornadoes and high winds throughout the South on Monday and Tuesday.
One person died in North Carolina after a suspected tornado struck a mobile home park Claremont, North Carolina on Tuesday, the Associated Press reports. Two others were critically injured. In Cottonwood, Alabama, another woman died when a suspected tornado caused her mobile home to be ripped from its foundation, according to the AP.
Mobile homes are especially dangerous during tornadoes, according to a previous AP report. The rapid on-set that is characteristic of many tornadoes makes it very difficult for residents to safely find other shelter, however.
A third person died near Atlanta, Georgia after a tree struck his car in heavy rain, the AP reports. Officials across the country are telling residents to avoid travel unless absolutely necessary.
See pictures of damage from overnight tornado in Jackson County, Florida
A tornado touched down in Jackson County, Florida overnight Monday into Tuesday, causing property damage and injuring seven. No fatalities have been reported, Public Information Coordinator Ramsey Romero told The Independent Tuesday afternoon.
Could extreme weather in Iowa impact the Republican caucuses?
The Iowa Republican caucus is set to take place in just six days — and as the state prepares, residents are facing dangerous winter storm conditions and several inches of snow throughout the state.
The caucus is a much-anticipated event considered the beginning of the presidential election season. The Iowa Republican caucuses will determine how many of the state’s 40 Republican National Convention delegates each candidate will get.
However, this year’s Iowa Republican caucus won’t be much of a nail-biter, as former president Donald Trump is the front-runner, according to several polls. Meanwhile, the other Republican candidates, like Nikki Haley, Ron DeSantis and Vivek Ramaswamy, will likely be in a race for second place.
Read more on how the state is handling a massive winter storm just days ahead of the event:
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
Four dead as tornadoes and floods tear through East Coast
At least four deaths were attributed to Storm Finn, a major winter storm pummeling the US. The deaths were reported in North Carolina, Georgia and Alabama.
One person died and four were hospitalized when severe winds, possibly from a tornado, struck a mobile home park in North Carolina’s Catawba County, according to county communications director Amy McCauley.
In Georgia, a driver was killed while traveling on a highway after a tree fell on the vehicle on Tuesday morning.
Meanwhile, in Alabama, an 81-year-old woman was killed in Cottonwood when her mobile home repeatedly flipped during the storm, Houston County Commission Chairman Brandon Shoupe said.
Another death was reported in Alabama when a tree fell on a vehicle, Birmingham fire and rescue Capt. Orlando Reynolds said on Tuesday.
Storm Finn leaves 890,000 without power
More than 890,000 people were left without power after a major winter storm ripped through the East Coast.
More than 890,000 people had lost power as a result of the storm as of Tuesday evening, mainly in the east, according to monitoring website United States Power Outage Map .
The highest outages right now are in North Carolina, where around 101,000 homes and businesses are without power.
The National Weather Service has warned that blizzards in the Midwest and Great Lakes region may cause power outages.
“This snow will cling to trees and power lines, which when combined with gusty winds potentially exceeding 55 mph, could result in power outages,” the NWS said.
Photos show homes and cars destroyed by tornado winds in the Florida Panhandle
Governor warns New Yorkers to avoid travel as heavy rain and strong winds hit state
New York Governor Kathy Hochul has warned New Yorkers to avoid travel as heavy rain and strong winds hit the state.
She said the severe weather conditions may cause power outages and flooding in many areas.
As of Wednesday morning, around 150,000 homes and businesses in New York are without power, according to monitoring website United States Power Outage Map.
Ms Hochul added that utility crews will be working to restore power as soon as safely possible.
The Governor said residents should avoid travel if possible and never walk or drive on flooded roads.
The National Weather Service in New York said wind gusts have reached up to 79mph in parts of the state.
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 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.
Nearly 2,000 migrants evacuated from NYC tent complex amid devastating storm
Nearly 2,000 migrants were evacuated from New York City tent complex on Tuesday amid a devastating storm that is ripping through the East Coast.
Heavy rain and winds of up to 79mph ripped through New York overnight, with residents warned not to travel.
The National Weather Service warned of possible major flooding in portions of Long Island with up to 9-foot (2.7-meter) seas through Wednesday morning and a chance of major and minor flooding along streams and rivers throughout the Tri-State area, even though rain was expected to tail off.
Storms, blizzard conditions to continue into Wednesday, NWS says
Stormy and blizzard conditions will continue into Wednesday across the United States, the National Weather Service said.
Flash flood warnings are in place for central Virginia through southern New York and into Connecticut and Rhode Island, according to the Weather Service.
Meanwhile, in the Northwest, blizzard conditions will continue through Wednesday morning.
On the East Coast, the storm is expected to gradually improve later into Wednesday, but rain and strong wind will persist.
Tornado watches have been lifted in the southeast of the country.
The storm is expected to move toward the country’s center by Thursday and strengthen, probably bringing a swath of heavy snow to the Plains and Midwest by Friday and Saturday.
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