This severe outbreak is the third time this month that a rash of severe thunderstorms is in the forecast. Severe weather is ongoing across the East with a threat of damaging winds and tornadoes. More than 450 reports of severe weather occurred on Sunday, with 400 of those attributed to wind. Combined, there have been 9 confirmed tornadoes on Sunday and Monday.
Two tornadoes were reported in Arkansas, with one having EF1 winds peaking at 105 mph. An EF0 tornado with peak winds of 85 mph touched down north of Ames, Illinois, while another EF1 tornado with winds of 90 mph was confirmed in Ferrin, Illinois. Additionally, an EF0 tornado with winds of 85 mph occurred in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina.
The storm system has caused airlines to cancel roughly 4,000 flights nationwide on Monday. Over 200 million people were under threat of dangerous weather on that day. Blizzard conditions continued in the Upper Midwest, where nearly 3 feet of snow fell in northern Wisconsin. Unrelenting rains in Hawaii triggered landslides and flooding, with some areas receiving over 15 inches of rain.
Officials have noted that wind is the primary threat, with Evan Bentley stating, “Wind is the primary threat, but within any of these areas of strong wind there could be some embedded tornadoes.” LA Mayor Karen Bass remarked, “This is technically still winter… but it is a sign of how climate change is impacting our city.” Governor Jim Pillen added, “Mother Nature is throwing a doozy at us.”
As meteorologists survey the damage, the number of tornadoes could go up. Details remain unconfirmed regarding the exact impact of the storms on the East Coast, but officials advise residents to stay aware and ensure they have a way to receive severe weather alerts.