Winter storm hits Plains, Midwest with severe threat in South

Extreme winter weather bearing down on the Plains and higher Midwest in a single day with heavy snow was threatening to unleash sturdy tornadoes in the South.

The newest: Over three million individuals have been below tornado watches throughout elements of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Arkansas — the place native officers mentioned there have been unconfirmed reviews of a twister damaging Jessieville High School throughout highly effective winds.

• “Damage was sustained to areas of the school due to trees, and power lines,” per a Garland County Sheriff’s Office assertion that mentioned the National Weather Service was working to verify whether or not it was a twister.
• “The school was … in session at the time, however, all students have been accounted for and reports of no injury.”

The large image: This newest storm originated over the Pacific and crashed ashore alongside the West Coast as an atmospheric river occasion over the weekend. Cities in the trail of the severe climate on Monday embody Memphis, Little Rock and Tulsa, Oklahoma.

• The threat will shift eastward on Tuesday with intense snow of 1 to 2 inches per hour anticipated for southern South Dakota and southwest Minnesota, in accordance with a National Weather Service on-line forecast discussion.
• Heavy rain in elements of the Mississippi Valley and the Gulf Coast might set off flash flooding.

Why it issues: It’s poised to deliver a number of hazards — together with a severe winter threat — to the Central U.S. and considerably thwart holiday travel as soon as once more as ice accumulations make highway circumstances harmful.

Threat stage: The National Weather Service issued a level three out of five risk of severe thunderstorms via Monday night time, together with a possible for sturdy tornadoes from jap Texas to northern Louisiana, all of Arkansas, and elements of Oklahoma. 

What they’re saying: There’s a superb likelihood flights out of Denver International Airport can be canceled, the NWS Boulder tweeted Monday, citing a “pretty unique” report out of DIA that indicated lower than 1 / 4 mile visibility.

• Tuesday could be the worst for snow and ice accumulations in Minnesota, in accordance to NWS Twin Cities, which urged residents to organize for energy outages and fallen bushes on Monday.
• The storm starting Monday night time and into Tuesday in Des Moines might imply roads develop at the very least 1 / 4 inch of ice, mentioned the native NWS, prompting “significant travel disruptions.”

Go deeper: Southwest flights are back on schedule after days of chaos

Editor’s notice: This article has been up to date with particulars of the suspected twister in Arkansas.