Blizzard conditions close highways, schools in central US

A winter storm system hammered parts of the central United States, bringing snow, heavy rain and wind gusts to several states. It is expected to head toward the Northeast by Tuesday night.

The snowstorm began Monday in the Midwest, where an area from southeastern Colorado to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, including western Kansas, eastern Nebraska, parts of Iowa, northern Missouri and northwestern Illinois, was hit with up to a foot of snow, Bob Oravec, a forecaster with the National Weather Service in College Park, Md., told The Associated Press.

About 8 inches of snow fell in the city of Athol in northern Kansas, the AP reported. The National Weather Service (NWS) expected Lincoln, Neb., to receive an additional couple of inches of snow into Tuesday with winds as high as 45 mph.

A long stretch of Interstate 80 in central Nebraska was closed, along with parts of Interstate 70 in Kansas due to dangerous travel conditions, AP reported.

NWS said the storm system will move east Tuesday into early Wednesday, while “unsettled weather conditions” continue in the Western U.S. 

NWS forecasted heavy rainfall and flooding could occur in areas stretching from the Florida Panhandle to southern Maine. Winds anywhere from 30-50 mph are also expected along the East Coast, further risking coastal flooding, the service said.

The storm is expected to cover 1,800 miles in a matter of 72 hours across over a half-dozen states, CNN reported.

The storm, meanwhile, hit parts of the South on Monday with 55 mph winds, hail and several reported tornadoes in the Florida Panhandle and parts of Alabama and Georgia early Tuesday morning, the National Weather Service said. Tornado warnings were still in effect Tuesday morning for several parts of Florida.

The conditions caused widespread damage in the Florida Panhandle including in Walton County, where the sheriff’s office posted photos of downed power lines, blown-off roofs and debris strewn across the road. Authorities urged area residents to avoid unnecessary travel.

In nearby Panama City, Fla., police shared similar scenes of large downed trees in roadways, damaged residential fences and choppy ocean waters. Panama City police reported several roadways are covered in debris as a result and urged residents to remain indoors.

An estimated 185,200 residents across Florida, Georgia and Alabama were left without power as of 9:45 a.m. EST Tuesday, according to PowerOutage.us.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) on Tuesday issued a state of emergency for 49 counties in the state in the wake of several tornado and severe thunderstorm warnings. He also activated the Florida State Guard to assist with any storm impact preparation.  

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D), Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D) and Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly (D) also declared states of emergencies on Monday or Tuesday for their states.

“Beginning tomorrow morning and continuing through Wednesday morning, we are expecting one to four inches of heavy rain, strong winds, and potential inland and coastal flooding,” Murphy wrote in a statement.

A state of emergency was also issued by North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper (D) to waive truck weight, size, and hours of services restrictions to allow quicker delivery of essential supplies.

–Updated at 4:32 p.m.