More than 90 million Americans prepare for severe weather conditions
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More than 90 million Americans brace for a spell of severe weather, as forecasts call for everything from blinding blizzards to violent thunderstorms and tornadoes from coast to coast.
Heavy snow and strong winds are expected to hit the southwestern states and bring gusts to 45 mph and up to eight inches of snow, before moving north over the Rocky Mountains and into the Pacific Northwest and upper Midwest during all Friday.
Historic snowstorms that hit California this week continue, leaving people buried under up to six feet of snow and prompting Gov. Gavin Newsom to declare a state of emergency to help with recovery.
And as the west freezes over, a patch of unusually warm air is expected to settle over the southern Plains and move east, bringing with it a series of severe storms that could bring baseball-sized hail and conditions conducive to dangerous tornadoes.
In the Northeast, snow in New York is expected to turn to an icy winter mix, and parts of New England could be buried under up to 12 inches of snow.
Several Angelenos were impressed by the rare sighting and posted photos of the snow touching near the famous Hollywood sign.
A man blows snow outside his home in Running Springs, California, on March 1.
California
The Golden State turned white this week after rarely seen blizzards buried parts of the state under feet of snow, with flakes even falling on Disneyland and blanketing the hills of the Hollywood sign.
Governor Newsom deployed the National Guard Wednesday to help residents, especially in San Bernardino County, where some have been stuck in their homes for days.
The National Weather Service issued wind, frost and winter storm warnings across the sunny state through Thursday as temperatures reached sub-freezing as low as 26 degrees Fahrenheit in certain areas.
The National Guard is working with local law enforcement to open shelters for residents and help deliver food and water to those trapped, according to the governor’s office.
Mountain ranges in southern California were hit with several feet of snow and residents asked the governor for help clearing roads as food and water supplies were running low.
Snow in California from this week’s storm. The governor declared a state of emergency.
Several people across the state appeared trapped in the storm, including workers at the Sugar Bowl Resort in Norden, California, east of Sacramento.
There are collapsing roofs everywhere, people need help and rescue. All stores are running out of food and water. Gas stations are barely running out of gas,” Lake Arrowhead resident Miyah Nelson told KTLA.
‘We need our roads to be clear so people can get out of their houses. They are all trapped.
The counties named in the emergency declaration include Amador, Kern, Los Angeles, Madera, Mariposa, Mono, Nevada, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Sierra, Sonoma and Tulare.
Some areas not included in the declaration, including residents in Olympic Valley, east of Sacramento, were not ordered to evacuate.
An avalanche struck an apartment building in the area around 7 p.m. Tuesday, according to the Sierra Sun, and numerous images from around the state showed snow-covered people with white walls climbing over doors and into second-floor windows. floor.
Snow on the mountains and plants overlooking Phoenix Arizona on March 2
Strong storms in the south
The storm that battered California began moving west on Wednesday, and is expected to become strong thunderstorms in the southern Plains region on Thursday before moving east to the south.
The storms will begin to develop over eastern Texas, southern Arkansas, and northern Louisiana, bringing winds of up to 80 miles per hour and massive hail.
Conditions will be ripe for tornadoes, and forecasts predict that those that form could be EF-2 in force and bring winds of 111 miles per hour, according to CNN.
Such storms have the force to blow off the roofs of buildings, demolish mobile homes, and uproot trees from the ground.
Earlier this week, parts of the region were hit by similar storms that tossed cars and destroyed homes.
As the storm moves east, it will bring violent weather to Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia, northern Florida, and North and South Carolina.
National Weather Service meteorologists warned Thursday’s storms “won’t be just another severe weather threat” and advised people in affected regions to remain vigilant.
The storms will be preceded by record winter heat in some areas, with temperatures in San Antonio, Houston and Baton Rouge reaching 88 degrees Fahrenheit.
By Friday, rain from the storm poses a risk of dangerous flooding in parts of Missouri, Mississippi, Tennessee and Arkansas.
Flood watches have been in effect for those regions through Friday, with up to six inches of rain forecast for Thursday night.
A car overturned by a tornado that struck Oklahoma on February 27. Similar weather is expected to cross the region on Thursday.
A house destroyed by tornadoes in Oklahoma this week. More storms are expected in the region
New York and New England
Although New York and New England will see unusually warm weather Thursday, temperatures will drop rapidly overnight and Friday’s drizzles will turn to snow overnight.
In New York City, that snow will turn to rain, and in other parts of the state, melting snow from this week’s storms could melt and cause flash flooding.
In New Jersey, as far as the Hudson Valley and across Connecticut, that snow could turn to sleet and freezing rain, according to NBC 4, causing chaos on roads and highways overnight.
The Hudson Valley could see up to five inches of snow, parts of Connecticut could see up to eight inches. New York City and Long Island will see less than an inch of buildup.
By Sunday, the weather will have cleared from the tri-state area, and sunlight and temperatures in the upper forties will move on.
In Massachusetts and New England, snow and wind will move on Friday night, before turning into a strong wintry mix on Saturday morning.
The interior of Massachusetts could see up to a foot of buildup.
A man removes snow from the sidewalk in front of a church in Providence, Rhode Island.
A man walks a dog in New York City after this week’s snowfall
A woman walking her dog in Boston after snow covered the city this week