Intense winter storm pushes east, causing tornadoes to strike down in Kansas and Oklahoma

The National Weather Service reports that as a powerful winter storm travels eastward across the nation, at least nine tornadoes were confirmed in Kansas and Oklahoma on Sunday night.

The third-largest city in Oklahoma, Norman, which is situated roughly 20 miles south of the state's capital, had at least 12 injuries as a result of the extreme weather. According to a press release from the city, none of the injuries were life-threatening, and there were no fatalities recorded. According to the city, downed power lines were the main reason for several highway and road segments needing to be blocked.

In Oklahoma City, there were reports of hail that was one inch in diameter and wind gusts of over 70 mph. The National Weather Service reports that Memphis, Texas, close to the Oklahoma state line, had gusts of 114 mph.


More than 120 million people in 42 U.S. states were on notice as of Monday morning due to high winds, a lot of snow, ice, and avalanches. According to information gathered by the website PowerOutage.us, as of 7:38 ET, more than 220,000 consumers countrywide were without electricity.


The storm is the same one that last week dumped over 11 inches of rain on California and covered it in 84 inches of snow. The quickly moving system is expected to impact the Midwest before making its way to the Northeast by Monday evening after hitting the Great Plains on Sunday night. The National Weather Service has forecast severe thunderstorms on Monday afternoon across Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and northern Kentucky.

When ice and snow are expected in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan, the National Weather Service has issued winter storm warnings and advisories.

On Monday night, 3 to 5 inches of snow might fall from New York City to Boston before the precipitation turns to rain. According to the National Weather Service, portions of New York and New England, including Connecticut, could receive up to 9 inches of snow farther north and at higher elevations.

Another storm is expected to hit California and much of the West Coast, from Los Angeles to Seattle, at the same time. Up to 6 feet of snow is forecast for the Sierra Nevada mountains in northern California, where the National Weather Service has issued a blizzard warning. Although there won't be as much rain as last week, Southern California could still receive an additional 2 to 3 inches. This week, the Rocky Mountains are also predicted to get a lot of snow, with 12 to 24 inches of accumulation possible from Idaho to Arizona.

FAQs:

1. What 3 states have the most tornadoes?
   In 2022, Texas and Alabama saw the most tornadoes, followed by Mississippi.
2. What is Tornado Alley?
   A region of the central United States and Canada known as Tornado Alley is where tornadoes most frequently occur.