Winter weather extremes have been plaguing regions across the U.S. on and off for the last several weeks. And now, another massive storm will wreak havoc across much of the Eastern region of the country this weekend. Already, tornadoes boasting 70 mile-per-hour winds left 22,000 residents across Alabama without power on Thursday night.
According to the Daily Mail, multiple twisters touched down across the Southern state overnight Thursday. Wind, snow, and flooding will likely affect areas across AL and other East Coast states Friday. The massive storm system should endure through the weekend.
Deemed winter storm, Michael, the outlet reports the massive storm front will “sweep” across the Eastern half of the U.S. Friday, with extreme weather already creating destruction in various states. So far, Michael has uprooted trees, demolished houses, and ripped off gas station roofs. One couple in AL is lucky to have endured the worst the tornadoes had to offer. The Leeds, AL couple saw a tree slice their home in two.
Farther north, power outages spanned states including Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. The news outlet reported the states accounted for more than 60,000 outages across the Eastern half of the nation.
Overall, the National Weather Service issued warning after warning as winter storm Michael continued his rampage across the country. Spanning 1,500-miles between Western Oklahoma and Northern Maine, the NWS issued a collection of warnings and watches. These reference winter storms, strong winds, and threatening thunderstorms.
Additionally, Michael is expected to leave snow bursts in areas from OK to Michigan before moving toward the East Coast. Meanwhile, Mississippi, TN, and OH could sustain severe thunderstorms.
Eastern U.S. Buckles Down for Onslaught of Weather Extremes
Winter storm Michael is expected to deliver an onslaught of damaging weather conditions, as stated above. NWS Meteorologist Matt Beitscher, based out of St. Louis, Missouri, stated, “It’s a pretty potent large-scale storm system that’s got a lot of different hazards associated with it depending on where folks are.”
Americans in AL saw three separate tornadoes touch down Thursday night. Two ravaged areas north of Tuscaloosa and one dropped in Pell City. Simultaneously, Americans farther north, between OK and ME, may see snowfall exceeding two inches per hour. Winds topping 40 miles per hour could create gusts likely to diminish visibility on roadways.
Additionally, while areas across PA and neighboring states experienced relatively warm temperatures early Thursday, forecasters expect temperatures broadly to drop significantly, with states seeing averages 10 to 20 degrees below normal for mid-February.
Farther south, while states including AL, MS, TN, and Arkansas may sustain weather extremes like isolated tornadoes, regions across the four Southern states could also experience large hail and damaging wind gusts. Additionally, the news outlet reported those same areas could see upwards of two inches of rainfall, preceding threats of flash flooding.
The massive winter storm is sure to see increased power outages and far-reaching damage throughout the weekend. However, Outsiders shouldn’t hold their breath as winter storm Michael passes. The Daily Mail stated Tuesday of next week will likely see another cross-country storm bear down on the Eastern region of the U.S.
