Storm System Still Causing All Kinds Of National Weather Woes

All those red splotches on this weather map of Mississippi from
early this afternoon are possible tornadoes The red stripe
to the west of that is flash flood warnings. Dangerous
weather continues in the South today. 

 As we here in Vermont anticipate the arrival of a likely messy storm toward Friday, I've only touched a little in this here blog thingy about what it's been doing to much of the rest of the nation as it slowly lumbers eastward.   

By the time it's through, I think this storm will have dumped either snow or rain on each state in the Lower 48. 

The storm created a widespread blizzard, and is continuing to spit out a surprising number of dangerous tornadoes in the South. Add flooding, and ice storms to the mix, and you have a real mess.

TORNADOES

The tornadoes are the worst, as they usually are. 

Tornado warnings have been flying almost constantly since late Monday from Oklahoma to Louisiana. So far there have been 21 reports of tornadoes in the South, and that number will increase as more tornadoes touch down and National Weather Service offices investigate areas of damage to determine whether the destruction was caused by twisters.

Sadly, three people have lost their lives to the tornadoes so far, including an eight year old boy and his mother in Louisiana. 

Tornadoes on Tuesday caused destruction in the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area, but luckily only caused a smattering of minor injuries.

If anything, the tornado situation could get worse this afternoon. NOAA's Storm Prediction Center has upgraded the risk level for severe weather in and near southern Mississippi to moderate, the second highest level. (It had been at "enhanced" or third highest level, since this past weekend).

Forecasters fear strong, long-lasting tornadoes over the next several hours.  In the past hour (it's 1 p.m. as I write this) more than half a dozen tornado warnings popped up in Mississippi and Louisiana. 

I'm sure I'll need to update this situation later. 

As warm, humid air becomes more prevalent in the South with climate change, we're seeing indications of an uptick in late autumn and winter severe weather there in recent years. 

Thankfully, after this outbreak ends tomorrow, cold air is expected to plunge well into the South for rest of the month, squelching the potential for tornadoes.

FLOODING

In the same areas most under the gun for tornadoes today, flooding is a real risk, too. As much as eight inches of rain could pour down on parts of Mississippi and western Alabama before all this is over. 

Flash flooding was already ongoing in central Louisiana as of noon, and that was expected to spread east soon. 

BLIZZARD

This is the third day in a row that parts of Wyoming, Nebraska and the Dakotas have been under a blizzard warning. 

This is a windy storm for sure. Gusts at Rapid City, South Dakota gusted past 50 mph for twenty consecutive hours. Wind gusts peaked as high as 63 mph.   Interstate 90 was closed through the western half of South Dakota due to zero visibility and huge drifts. 

The blizzard is expected to finally gradually taper off over the next day or two, but cold weather will remain in the northern Plains. Temperatures are expected to fall well below zero in the region by the weekend.

ICE STORM

Freezing rain socked the eastern Dakotas and parts of Minnesota while that blizzard raged to the west of those locations. Now, ice storm warnings have been issued for parts of West Virginia and Pennsylvania as the big mess of storminess gradually heads eas.