A massive storm continued to blanket the Midwest in blizzard conditions Tuesday as it moved toward the Northeast, bringing with it heavy rain and strong winds that sparked tornadoes in northern Florida.
Across the central United States, the storm closed major highways as it pummeled the region with whiteout conditions and roads filled with snow. Monday until early Tuesday, The Kansas Highway Patrol responded More than 100 collisions between vehicles, 19 of which resulted in injuries. In Boise, Oklahoma, emergency management said it responded to calls reporting several stranded motorists and said all roads were closed.
Many Florida schools and government buildings are closed. Some schools as far north as parts of Virginia and Maryland have also planned early dismissals. Airports across the Midwest and Southeast reported an increase in delays and cancellations Tuesday morning.
In the Southeast, the National Weather Service confirmed at least three tornadoes across the Florida Panhandle, with wind gusts of up to 106 mph reported. A thunderstorm over southeast Alabama and southwest Georgia recorded winds of 70 mph and hailstones the size of ping-pong balls, according to the weather service.
The northeast was preparing for heavy rains. Over the weekend, the area was hit by a major snowstorm that dropped up to 22 inches of snow in New England. As the storm moves northeast later Tuesday and rain begins to fall on snow-covered areas, widespread flooding will be possible, especially along low-lying areas and swollen creeks and creeks.
The National Weather Service expects 1 to 3 inches of rain in New England by Tuesday night. Much of the coast is under wind and flood warnings with winds expected to reach 50 mph. Urban areas such as New York City, Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia are expected to receive more than an inch of rain.
is reading:Experts say 2023 was the hottest year on Earth.
Developments:
∎ As of Tuesday morning, 520 flights were delayed across the country and 93 flights were cancelled. The airports with the highest number of delays and cancellations are O'Hare International Airport in Chicago and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
∎ More than 170,000 utility customers in Alabama, Georgia and Florida were without power Tuesday morning.
At least three hurricanes touched down in northern Florida
Multiple tornadoes were reported throughout Florida's Panhandle on Tuesday morning, as a powerful squall line capable of producing 70-80 mph winds made its way over the area, knocking out power across the region, including Tallahassee , the state capital.
The weather service first reported a tornado 11 miles southeast of De Funiak Springs, between Pensacola and Tallahassee, moving northeast at 55 mph. The storm was accompanied by hail the size of a quarter.
Shortly before 7 a.m., a “large and very dangerous hurricane” struck near Panama City, according to the National Weather Service. It was moving northeast at 55 mph. Pictures circulating on social media showed damage to many homes throughout the small beachside community.
Half an hour later, the National Weather Service in Tallahassee reported that a tornado had crossed Interstate 10, which runs between multiple states, southeast of Marianna.
Storm chaser He later shared a video on X Semi-trailer overturns on the highway. A different storm chaser drone video showed an aerial view of the I-10 corridor in Marianna with several overturned campgrounds and extensive structural damage.
Storm hits Tallahassee as DeSantis speaks at the Florida Capitol
All county government office buildings surrounding Tallahassee were closed Tuesday, except for the Capitol, where Gov. Ron DeSantis is expected to deliver his State of the State address before the start of the legislative session.
The speech, which has not yet been canceled as of Tuesday morning, is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m., the time forecasters say A dangerous squall line could roar through the city with damaging winds that could down trees, damage homes and sustain power outages.
DeSantis briefly steps off the presidential campaign trail and flies in from Iowa to deliver the speech. Then he'll need to turn around and fly back to the Hawkeye State for a Fox News town hall on women's issues at 6 p.m. ET.
The Pacific Northwest was hit by heavy, persistent snowfall
Blizzard warnings were issued across the Pacific Northwest and Idaho on Tuesday, as the first of several winter storms brought heavy snow to the region.
Read: “Dangerous blizzard conditions expected.” Early morning warning from the Central Washington Weather Service. “Heavy snow and strong winds will result in whiteout conditions at times.”
The first storm is expected to make its way inland on Tuesday, covering much of the Northwest with heavy rain and snow, which will likely slow traffic along the Interstate 5 corridor, including Seattle, Portland and Eugene, according to AccuWeather.
“Some of the highest snowfall totals so far this season are expected this week, with widespread snowfall potential between 24 and 48 inches at level passes through the Oregon and Washington Cascades,” AccuWeather Meteorologist Andrew Kinzel said.
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Contributing: Associated Press; Tallahassee Democrat; Dinah Voyles Powder, Doyle Rice; USA Today
