Millions of Americans, including those in California, Idaho, and Maine, have been warned of the dangers of winter weather this weekend, as power outages wrack states from Alabama to New York following a deadly outbreak of severe weather.
This comes just days after a multistate severe weather outbreak slammed wide swaths of the South and Midwest with tornadoes, strong winds, and flash floods, killing at least ten people and injuring many more.
Cleanup had begun in those areas, but tens of thousands were still without power, and strong winds and tornadoes damaged buildings, particularly in Alabama, Louisiana, Kentucky, Arkansas, and Texas.
Millions Warned Of Winter Weather
The Sierra Nevada, including Lake Tahoe, is expected to be the hardest hit, with one to two feet of snow expected at lower elevations and two to four feet above 7,000 feet.
Winds could gust to 50 mph, with gusts reaching 100 mph along the Sierra crest, as per USA Today.
According to Shawn Carter, a physical scientist at the National Water Center, some areas around Lake Tahoe have received more than 50 feet of snow this year since October 1, 2022.
The same storm is forecast to bring snow or rain to parts of eastern Oregon and Washington, with accumulations ranging from five to 12 inches in places like Toutle, Ariel, and Lake Merwin, and less than two inches in places like Lower Columbia, Oregon.
Residents have been left stranded without power, with collapsed roofs, and running out of necessities such as food and medicine after the San Bernardino Mountains were slammed with waves of heavy snowfall beginning late last week.
The National Guard was sent to 13 California counties to help with recovery, but crews are having difficulty clearing roads and delivering aid.
On Saturday morning, hundreds of thousands of households in Kentucky, Tennessee, and Michigan were still without power as a powerful winter storm moved across the country.
As the storm moved east, power outages also affected Alabama, West Virginia, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and New York.
As heavy, damp snow snapped tree branches in New York's capital region of Albany, crews worked to restore power to nearly 20,000 customers, as per Economic Times.
13 Died Due To Winter Storms
At least 13 people were killed by the storm, which began with several feet of snow in California's mountains and moved east, as per Yahoo News.
Wind gusts exceeding 70 mph downed trees and power lines, damaging homes and other buildings in Kentucky, according to Gov. Andy Beshear.
After Friday's high-speed wind storm knocked out power for hundreds of thousands of Kentucky residents, power crews in Louisville and across the state worked Sunday to restore power.
On Saturday morning, hundreds of thousands of households in Kentucky, Tennessee, and Michigan were still without power as a powerful winter storm moved across the country.
As the storm moved east, power outages also affected Alabama, West Virginia, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and New York.
As heavy, damp snow snapped tree branches in New York's capital region of Albany, crews worked to restore power to nearly 20,000 customers.
Beshear Pays A Visit To Mccracken County
Heavy rains of up to 4.5 inches fell on Friday, causing widespread flash flooding and numerous road closures.
According to the National Weather Service, soggy ground from excessive rainfall likely contributed to some trees being more susceptible to being blown over.
"This event has caused as much damage as any natural disaster in Kentucky co-op history," said Chris Perry, president of Kentucky Electric Cooperatives.
Beshear and Liz Pratt, a spokesperson for Louisville Gas & Electric, both described the restoration of power as a "multi-day" process.
Pratt stated that LG&E would prioritize restoring power to critical locations such as hospitals and nursing homes, but would work to restore power to the rest of the city as soon as possible.
According to her, the outages were the worst since an ice storm in 2009.
Related article: US Weather Update: Massive Storms Strikes Down With Some Snow in New York City