A powerful winter storm hit the United States: it caused heavy snowfalls and tornadoes

A giant winter storm brought severe weather on December 13 to the central US. It is accompanied by dangerous snowstorms in the central and northern plains and freezing weather in the Upper Midwest. At least one tornado is known in parts of Oklahoma and Texas, reports CNN.

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The storm, which hit west over the weekend, is expected to intensify as it moves east on Dec. 13 before stopping in the central plains until Dec. 15. On the morning of December 13, about 15 million people in a dozen states are under winter weather warnings or advisories, with power outages a key concern.

There are two tornado sightings in operation: one for parts of the Dallas area and southern Oklahoma, and one for parts of Arkansas, southeast Oklahoma, and eastern Texas.

A band of severe storms capable of causing tornadoes and large hail hit the Dallas/Fort Worth metropolitan area on the morning of December 13th.

Around 9:30 a.m. ET, sirens wailed at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport. “We are in the midst of a tornado warning here on the west side of the Dallas-Fort Worth area,” reporter Ed Lavandera reports from the airport. “Here, in fact, everything stopped. A really strong storm line is starting to make its way through North Texas."

On the subject: In the coming week, the sky over the United States will be illuminated by two meteor showers at once: how to see them

Damage on December 13 morning includes:

• Wayne, Oklahoma. According to meteorologist Derek Van Dam, due to the alleged tornado in this city, "buildings were razed to the ground and trees were broken." There were no injuries, according to the McClain County Office of Emergency Management, but Wayne has no power and the family buildings, outbuildings and barns are damaged.
• Outside Dallas: On the morning of December 13, wind damage was reported west of Dallas/Fort Worth, including overturned tractor-trailers that were blown away near the towns of Millsap and Decatur, and sheds damaged near the city of Jacksboro, as reported by the National meteorological service.
• More severe tornado-capable storms are expected on December 13 and 14 in the Gulf Coast region as a complex system of snow or rain moves through the central US from north to south.
• In the Central and Northern Plains and the Upper Midwest, a blizzard and/or freezing rain could hamper traffic and threaten a December 15 power outage.

Here's what different regions can expect in the coming days:

• Snowstorms are expected on December 13 and 14 in parts of the central and northern plains. From time to time, snow is expected at a speed of 3 to 5 cm per hour against the backdrop of strong winds at a speed of 64 km per hour.
• The "increased risk" of severe storms on December 13 stretches from east Texas to northern Louisiana and southwestern Mississippi, with tornadoes, heavy hail and damaging winds possible.

• The greatest flash flood threat will be from December 13 to December 14 in the lower Mississippi Valley on the central Gulf Coast, in the Tennessee Valley and in the southern Appalachians.
• Freezing rain and sleet possible on Wednesday in the Upper Midwest.

Snowstorm and Ice Warnings for Central US

The storm, which first hit the western US with snow and rain, resulted in a winter storm warning from the Canadian border to Mexico's border with New Mexico.

In Denver on December 13, up to 12 cm of snow is expected, wind gusts up to 80 km per hour are possible.

Blizzard warnings on December 13 extended from parts of Montana and Wyoming into northeastern Colorado, western Nebraska, and South Dakota, where severe and life-threatening conditions are expected.

Snowfall before the morning of December 14 could bring 25 to 45 cm of snow in the central and northern plains and the Upper Midwest. The Weather Forecasting Center said some areas inside the blizzard warning zones, especially in western South Dakota, eastern Wyoming and northwestern Nebraska, could see up to 60 cm of snow and winds strong enough to blow off tree limbs and cause outages. in the supply of electricity.

Where to expect snow in the coming days

Snow "will be accumulating the most in northern Nebraska and it will be going like crazy with the strong winds we're going to have too," Brandon Wills, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Cheyenne, Wyoming, said on the evening of December 12.

On December 12, the South Dakota Department of Transportation warned that interstate highways in South Dakota could become impassable due to a blizzard, leading to road closures across the state.

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Ice storm warnings have been issued for parts of eastern South Dakota, southwestern Minnesota, and western Iowa. According to forecasters, up to 0,5 cm of ice could accumulate in some of these areas.

In Anchorage, Alaska, "an unprecedented amount of snowfall" resulted in schools being closed for four days, and the University of Alaska Anchorage and Alaska Pacific University closed on December 12.

“The snowstorms that hit Anchorage last week are historic. They brought to our city from 70 to 115 cm of snow," Anchorage City Hall spokesman Hans Rodwick said Dec. 12.

Tornadoes threaten south end of storm

Meanwhile, the south end of the storm threatens to bring a tornado.

The main threats are tornadoes, hail and wind gusts up to 120 m/s in parts of Texas and southern Oklahoma.

A Severe Weather Heightened Risk Warning Level 3 of 5 was issued Dec. 12 for east Texas and the lower Mississippi River Valley with key threats that include powerful tornadoes, damaging winds and heavy hail. Baton Rouge, Shreveport and Lafayette, Louisiana are part of the endangered zone, as is Jackson, Mississippi.

“My biggest concern is tornadoes after dark,” meteorologist Chad Myers said Dec. 13. - At this time of year we have very short days, so at 5 or 6 o'clock it will be dark there. Instruments are not as accurate when it is dark. Tornado warnings are a bit slow. If you are sleeping, you may not get them. So, that's the real danger associated with this storm."

A low-risk zone - level 2 of 5 - surrounded the area, stretching from eastern Texas and southern Oklahoma to southern Arkansas and much of the rest of Louisiana and central Mississippi. This zone includes Dallas and New Orleans.

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There is also a small risk of excessive rainfall in parts of Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi on Dec. 13, with a chance of rain bringing 5 to 10 cm of water and possible flash floods, according to the Weather Prediction Center.

On December 14, the severe weather threat will be mainly concentrated on the Gulf Coast. However, tornadoes and damaging winds are possible over parts of southern Louisiana, Mississippi, southwestern Alabama and the western Florida Panhandle, the Storm Prediction Center said.

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