Powerful US storms create blizzard conditions and threaten to spawn more
tornadoes
[March 06, 2025]
By JEFF MARTIN
ATLANTA (AP) — Powerful storms that killed three people in Mississippi
and ripped roofs from buildings in a small Oklahoma town charged
eastward Wednesday, spawning tornado warnings near the East Coast while
heavy snow struck the Midwest and dry, windy weather fanned wildfires in
Texas.
Meanwhile, forecasters warned that a Pacific storm was expected to bring
widespread rain and mountain snow across California and other parts of
the West through Friday. California Gov. Gavin Newsom warned on the
social platform X that the storm could bring another round of debris
flow in the areas left barren by recent wildfires.
Tornado warnings were issued in the Carolinas, Florida and Virginia.
Officials in Union County, North Carolina, said in a social media post
that the U.S. National Weather Service confirmed an EF1 tornado touched
down in the Unionville area. The storm caused structural damage, and
power outages after wind speeds of up to 90 mph (145 kph). No injuries
were reported, according to the county.
In Texas, high winds and dry vegetation fueled wildfires in several
areas of the state. One burned at least 20 homes and structures in
coastal San Patricio County near Corpus Christi, County Judge David
Krebs said. There were no immediate reports of injuries. The National
Weather Service said critical fire weather conditions were still
expected across south central Texas.
Severe weather threats persisted a day after stormy winds forced changes
to Mardi Gras celebrations in New Orleans, which moved up and shortened
its two biggest parades.
The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency blamed severe weather for
three deaths. WAPT-TV reported that in Madison County one person died
from a falling power line, and another was killed by a tree falling on
his car. A woman in Clarke County died when a tree limb fell on her
outside her home, WLBT-TV reported.
At least seven confirmed tornadoes touched down Tuesday in Texas,
Oklahoma and Louisiana, according to preliminary information from the
weather service. That number could increase, with the potential for
severe storms stretching from Florida to New York state, said Bill
Bunting, deputy director of the agency's Storm Prediction Center.
“These storm systems not only have a warm side with severe
thunderstorms, but a cold side that can have all forms of winter
weather,” Bunting said. “And looking at the forecast maps, this is not
the last storm that we’ll see in March.”
Blizzard conditions hit eastern Nebraska overnight into Wednesday,
bringing around 4 inches (10.2 centimeters) of snow and winds up to 65
mph (105 kph), limiting visibility and closing numerous snowy roads.
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In this photo provided by the Iowa State Patrol, a jackknifed semi
truck blocks both eastbound lanes on U.S. 20 east of Fort Dodge,
Iowa, on Wednesday, March 5, 2025. (Trooper Paul Gardner/Iowa State
Patrol via AP)
Parts of Minnesota and much of Iowa were on the waning side of a
powerful winter storm. The storm brought the heaviest snow of the
season to Minneapolis, where the weather service reported 7.4 inches
(18.8 centimeters) at the airport. Other nearby communities reported
a foot of snow or more.
“I wouldn’t want to say it’s unheard of or unusual. But it’s still
pretty remarkable to see the power of nature with these storms,”
National Weather Service meteorologist Jacob Beitlich said.
The slippery roads led to at least 70 crashes, the Minnesota State
Patrol reported. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz authorized the National
Guard to provide support and help rescue stranded drivers.
The Iowa State Patrol blamed whiteout conditions for 68 crashes,
including a pileup on Interstate 35 outside Des Moines and numerous
wrecks on Interstate 80.
“There’s this series of a whole bunch of small crashes, but it’s
closing the interstate,” State Patrol spokesman Sgt. Alex Dinkla
said. “Our officers are literally going car to car, and then cars
are getting stuck on the roadway. They can’t move.”
In a South Carolina community near Myrtle Beach, where firefighters
have been battling wildfires since the weekend, Horry County Fire
Rescue said in a social media post that heavy winds would keep
firefighters from responding to flare-ups and spot fires by air and
from entering woods where damaged trees could fall.
The storms knocked out power to thousands of customers across the
central and southeastern United States, including nearly 20,000
homes and businesses in Texas and about 12,000 in Tennessee,
according to PowerOutage.us.
More than 900 flights scheduled to fly into or out of U.S. airports
were canceled, according to FlightAware.com, which tracks
cancellations and delays nationwide.
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Associated Press journalists from across the country contributed.
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