April 27, 2024
A major spring storm threatened parts of the central U.S. on Monday with heavy snow in its northern reaches and thunderstorms and possible tornadoes in the South.
Other parts of the country tried to recover from their own severe weather, from hail and flooding in California to heavy snow, freezing rain and flooding in the Northeast, where some areas were not expected to get power back until Tuesday or beyond.
The new storm is expected to bring strong winds, sleet, freezing rain and snow to a broad swath from the Dakotas to the Gulf Coast through Tuesday. A blizzard warning was issued for parts of South Dakota and Nebraska.
There is a greater than 70% chance of at least 8 inches of snow from central South Dakota to northeastern Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin, the National Weather Service said. Snow could fall at a rate of 2 inches per hour, it said.
Heavy snow had already fallen Sunday in Minnesota, where the state patrol reported more than 300 crashes, at least one of them fatal. A total of 8.2 inches was recorded at the Minneapolis-St. Paul airport Sunday, breaking the old record for the date of 6.8 inches in 1996.
The snow turned into rain early Monday in Minneapolis, making for a slushy morning commute.
Severe thunderstorms with a threat for tornadoes and other damaging winds were possible in east Texas and the Lower Mississippi Valley. Strong storms, some producing tornado warnings, had already made their way through parts of Oklahoma and Texas on Sunday night.
Police across the Northeast reported hundreds of traffic accidents over the weekend as cars spun out and drivers grappled with icy roads. New York City, Washington, Baltimore, Philadelphia and Boston also saw heavy rain and flooding.
Airlines were catching up after the combination of sleet, freezing rain and wet, heavy snow delayed and canceled flights.
Heavy snow buried Vermont, New Hampshire and most of Maine over the weekend, dumping more than 2 feet in some areas, toppling trees, causing car crashes and cutting power.
Tens of thousands of people from Maine to New York remained without power early Monday.
In New York City, where more than 3.5 inches of rain fell, floodwaters snarled subway service, closed part of a major parkway and trapped motorists on flooded roads in Central Park. On Fifth Avenue, a giant tree fell over several cars, prompting a road closure.
In Lodi, New Jersey, river flooding inundated roads.
Snow also fell Sunday night over parts of northern Arizona, the Grand Canyon and Flagstaff.
Heavy rain and quarter-size hail fell in Southern California on Sunday. A 35-year-old woman was rescued after being swept away in the storm-swollen Los Angeles River, fire officials said. She was airlifted to a hospital with minor injuries and hypothermia.
