Omaha, Neb. – Omaha, Neb. (AP) – Another storm system They affected millions of people on Wednesday in the middle of the US, leaving parts of the west medium and large plains in snowstorm conditions and a wide strip of neighboring states at risk of strong winds and forest fires.
Approximately 72 million people were under wind advice or a warning, with winds of more than 45 mph (72 kph), according to Bryan Jackson, a meteorologist of the National Meteorological Service.
At this time of the year, cold air in the north collides with warm air from the south to produce strong and low pressure systems, Jackson said. But he added that The last climate It was the third storm system to develop rapidly in recent weeks and bring strong winds to a large strip of the United States, a “very active pattern” since February.
In minus 42 people died during the weekend when dynamic storms Unleashed tornadoes, blinding dust and forest fires, uprooting trees and flattening hundreds of houses and businesses in eight states of the southern and half west.
A band was expected from southwest Kansas to the center of Wisconsin to bring only 2 inches (5 centimeters) of snow or even one foot (30 centimeters). Combined with strong winds, the forecast warned about the blackout conditions.
The Kansas Department of Transportation temporarily closed more than 250 miles (400 kilometers) of the Interestatal 70 from the Colorado border, this to Salina, Kansas. By Wednesday night, almost everything had reopened due to the best road conditions.
The first section to close in western Kansas was also affected by the strong winds last week when eight people died after a dust storm It resulted in an accumulation of 71 cars and trucks.
Blizzard’s conditions at dawn on Wednesday led to almost zero visibility in the southern center of Nebraska, said the state patrol through Facebook, urging people to remain out of the roads. There were road closures of more than 160 miles (255 kilometers) of the I-80 from Lincoln to Lexington and almost 70 miles (115 kilometers) of the I-29 along the border of Nebraska -iowa. The stagnant cars, the semi -trailers of Jackknife, the crashes and the fallen electric lines contributed to the chaos.
Around the Iowa-Billinois border, more than an inch of snow fell per hour, while the bursts were as high as 30 mph (48 kph), according to the National Meteorological Service.
The strong snow and the strong winds knocked down branches of the trees and broke utility posts. Power was eliminated at more than 140,000 clients in Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas, Tennessee and Indiana, according to Poweroutage.us.
The storm left many with climate whip after a spring Tuesday with temperatures that exceed 70 degrees Fahrenheit (21 Celsius) in some parts.
Where I wasn’t snowing, there were still very strong winds. The gusts combined with dry conditions of Texas and Oklahoma through Arkansas and the center of Missouri raised the potential of forest fires.
“Before plants are growing,” Jackson said, “there is a lot of dry fuel.”
The threat of fire increased on Tuesday and persisted on Wednesday with Renewed risk of oklahoma still staggering a check outbreak That began on Friday. More than 400 houses were severely damaged or destroyed, and at least four people died due to fires or strong winds, authorities said.
The Texas aANDM Forest Service reported that he responded to 14 new forest fires on Tuesday burned around 29 square miles (75 square kilometers) in Texas.
The agency responded to a fire of approximately 3 square miles (8 square kilometers) the next day in San Jacinto County, with only a small fraction contained.
A fire near Borger, in Panhandle of the state, Cut Power, led to evacuations and threatened more than 1,000 on Tuesday night, said the city through Facebook.
“Through a quick response and a collaboration effort of many departments around our region, the fire remained outside the city limits, and we did not lose any of those 1201 houses,” said the city.
Until Wednesday night, that fire, originally that covers 350 acres (140 hectares), covered approximately 500 acres (200 hectares) and was contained in 75%, according to Texas toANDM Forest Service.
The teams also responded to dozens of fires in Arkansas, where the winds raised an additional risk. Four houses in Little Rock suffered damage to the southwest part of the city, said Fire Chief Delphone Hubbard during a news conference, but no deaths or injuries were reported.
Mayor Frank Scott urged people to attend a burn prohibition for Pulasski County, saying: “Please do not do anything reckless or careless, because it could create a loss of lives.”
Part of the I-530 southeast of Little Rock closed due to the smoke of a herb fire, but traffic resumed at night.
The average state section saw wind bursts up to 59 mph (95 kph), according to the National Meteorological Service.
In New Mexico, where the massive walls of dust forced the closure of the roads and resulted in power cuts on Tuesday, the forecast warned about a return of the critical climatic conditions of the fire on Thursday.
The severe electric storms were possible in the Illinois center with hail risks, strong wind and tornadoes. It is forecast that a large part of Illinois and Indiana would be under a slight risk, with a lower more risk to the south through the Tennessee Valley.
The severe storms brought strong winds to Indiana, and hail and tornadoes threatened part of the state, said the National Meteorological Service.
Jackson said the storm would send a cold front via the east coast on Thursday with possible snowfall in higher elevations in New England.
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Fingerhut reported from Des Moines, Iowa. Associated Press writers John Hanna in Topeka, Kansas, Andrew Deillo at Little Rock, Arkansas and Hallie Golden in Seattle contributed.
