It’s wrecking havoc.
A powerful winter storm swept across the U.S. on Monday, resulting in at least seven fatalities and leaving nearly half a million people without power. The storm caused severe disruptions from the mid-Atlantic to the South, with strong winds and heavy rain contributing to the destruction. Michigan experienced the highest number of casualties, with four deaths reported, while Indiana and Oklahoma also saw fatalities. Additionally, an EF-2 tornado in St. Landry Parish, Louisiana, tore the roof off a house but thankfully caused no injuries.
The storm’s impact continued throughout the day, with severe weather and heavy rain expected to affect areas from the mid-Atlantic to parts of the Southeast. In Kalamazoo County, Michigan, a family of three lost their lives when a tree fell on their vehicle, while another person was killed in Ingham County when a tree struck his house. In Valparaiso, Indiana, a 34-year-old man died when his semi-truck was overturned by winds reaching 80 mph. In Oklahoma, a tree fell onto a camper in Cherokee County, killing one person. Reports also indicated an Amish buggy was overturned in Millersburg, Indiana, killing one individual.
As the storm moved through, power outages were widespread, especially in the Great Lakes region. By Monday morning, approximately 300,000 customers in Michigan were without power, with additional outages reported in Wisconsin and Indiana. Michigan’s governor declared a state of emergency for ten counties, enabling state assistance. In some areas, freezing rain and high winds caused extensive damage, with trees uprooted and power lines downed.
The National Weather Service continued to issue tornado watches, and multiple funnel clouds were spotted, including one in Vancleave, Mississippi. Freezing rain and high winds also caused disruptions in the Great Lakes area, and the storm was expected to move south toward Tennessee. Meanwhile, the West Coast was preparing for a separate weather system expected to bring heavy rain, winds up to 70 mph, and significant snowfall to Northern California and southern Oregon.
Looking ahead, the storm system was forecast to move east into the Plains and Mississippi Valley on Tuesday, continuing to bring volatile weather conditions across the country.
