Sprawling storm drops feet of snow, knocks out power, disrupts thousands of flights with more tornado danger to come

CNN

By Meteorologists Mary Gilbert, Briana Waxman, Chris Dolce, CNN

(CNN) — A multiday storm ripping across the eastern US is causing widespread disruptions for millions as it unfurls severe thunderstorms with tornado warnings and feet of snow with blizzard conditions.

The system kicked up a powerful line of storms with winds up to 80 mph in spots that stretched from the Gulf Coast up to the Great Lakes on Sunday. The line of storms is now racing east toward the East Coast, damaging structures, knocking out power to hundreds of thousands and causing thousands of flight cancellations and delays along the way.

Here’s the latest:

• Severe storms: Over 9 million people in the Mid-Atlantic, including Washington, DC, are under a rare Level 4 of 5 severe thunderstorm threat for damaging winds and tornadoes, with over 25 million more under a Level 2 or 3 of 5 risk from Florida through New York. Some twisters that spin up could be strong and long-lived, capable of causing EF2 damage or greater.
• Historic wind risk: The United States faces its highest chance for damaging winds from severe thunderstorms since 2018: 60%. It’s the first time on record Washington, DC, has been in at this great of risk for damaging winds. It means there’s a 60% chance that thunderstorms will produce damaging winds of at least 58 mph — typical severe thunderstorm criteria. DC Mayor Muriel Bowser activated the capital’s Emergency Operations Center on Monday. Maryland Gov. Wes Moore on Sunday night declared a state of preparedness.

• Significant wind damage: There have been more than 400 reports of damaging wind gusts from Texas, Arkansas and Missouri to West Virginia and the Carolinas since Sunday afternoon. There have been reports of minor injuries along with damaged or destroyed buildings in Arkansas and Tennessee.
• Heavy snow: Parts of the Upper Midwest and northern Great Lakes received 1 to 3 feet of snow from Sunday into Monday. More than 4 million people across the Midwest and Great Lakes are under blizzard warnings Monday, and nearly 20 million more are under winter weather alerts from the Great Lakes to New England. The northernmost areas could receive an additional foot or more of snow.

• Flight cancellations: As of Monday morning, more than 3,500 flights within, into or out of the US were canceled on Monday, and more than 6,800 flights were delayed, according to FlightAware.

• Power outages: As of Monday afternoon, more than 350,000 customers had no power across several states, according to PowerOutage.us, including over 100,000 in Michigan. Over half a million customers lost power during the peak of the outages.

• Schools impacted: School districts in Washington, DC, and further south announced closures, delays or early dismissals in anticipation of dangerous weather. The largest school districts in Maryland and Virginia announced early dismissals, and school closures and delays have also been announced in Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Alabama and Florida, CNN affiliates reported.

Storms cause damage as cities gear up for more

Lawrence County, Tennessee, saw “significant wind damage in and around the Bonnertown community” overnight, Emergency Management Agency spokesperson Bill Phillips told CNN, adding there have been reports of minor injuries.

In Rector, Arkansas, the city maintenance shop and office building were completely demolished, Mayor Shawn Brandon told CNN. Most of a nearby home was also destroyed and a city park saw some damage. Officials there are still waiting for the National Weather Service to confirm if the area was hit by a tornado.

On Sunday, the system produced at least one reported tornado near Humphrey in Arkansas County, Arkansas, according to the Storm Prediction Center. Hail up to the size of tennis balls pelted east Texas.

Tornado watches are posted from the Florida Panhandle to New Jersey and eastern Pennsylvania. More watches are likely as the system spreads across the Southeast and toward the Mid-Atlantic.

Historic snow, blizzard conditions

While the southern, warmer side of the storm is generating severe thunderstorm concerns, the cold, northern side has been busy generating a lot of snow.

Snow totals from the storm are between 1 to 3 feet so far from southern Minnesota into central Wisconsin and northern Michigan. Snow totals could climb higher in some areas as blizzard conditions continue from eastern Wisconsin to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The worst of the storm should ease up by late this afternoon and early evening.

Wausau, Wisconsin, picked up 23.4 inches on Sunday, making it the city’s snowiest day in about 130 years of records.

A snow emergency is in effect Monday for Milwaukee County after the weather service issued a blizzard warning for southeast Wisconsin until 4 p.m. Monday, County Executive David Crowley announced on X. Non-essential departments will be closed, including the courthouse and zoo.

After shutting down Interstate 80 both ways from around Iowa City to near Nebraska on Sunday, Iowa authorities reopened the highway Monday morning, but cautioned drivers that roadways may still be impacted by snow and ice. In Wisconsin, many roads in northern counties were impassable Sunday, the state’s transportation department said, urging everyone in the region to avoid driving. And in Michigan, state police on Sunday said the Upper Peninsula’s Mackinac Bridge was closed and nearby roads across Cheboygan County were “impassable.”

Marquette, Michigan, is no stranger to high totals of lake-effect snow, but this storm could be one of its biggest ever. The city’s largest two-day storm total on record stands at about 32 inches from a March 1997 storm. It’s forecast to get anywhere from 2 to 4 feet of snow from the current storm.

And it’s not like this snow is falling in a peaceful winter wonderland — powerful winds are whipping it up to create dangerous whiteouts and longer-lasting blizzard conditions.

The punishing conditions are making travel extremely hazardous and could cause power outages to increase Monday.

This story has been updated with additional information.

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CNN Meteorologist Brandon Miller contributed to this report.