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    Home Climate

    13 Dead as ‘Historic’ Storm Lashes Southeast, Midwest and Northeast

    By: Olivia Rosane
    Published: March 7, 2023
    Edited by Chris McDermott
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    Damage from a tornado in Hanover, Indiana, including a barn with a large portion of its roof lifted
    Damage from a tornado in Hanover, Indiana included a barn with most of its roof lifted, on March 3, 2023. National Weather Service
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    After bringing a “once-in-a-generation” snowfall to the California mountains, an extreme weather system moved eastward late last week and into the weekend, bringing high winds to the Southeast and more snow to the Midwest and Northeast. 

    The storm system knocked out power for nearly half a million people and led to at least 13 deaths, as USA Today reported Sunday. Five of those deaths were in Kentucky, where Governor Andy Beshear had declared a state of emergency ahead of Friday’s storm, as AP News reported.

    “I saw neighbors helping neighbors and Kentuckians opening their homes and their hearts to those in need today in McCracken County,” Beshear tweeted after a tour of the hard-hit county Sunday. “Friday’s storm damage is significant, but seeing the strength of our people – once again – reminds us all there is hope. We are in this together.” 

    I saw neighbors helping neighbors and Kentuckians opening their homes and their hearts to those in need today in McCracken County. Friday's storm damage is significant, but seeing the strength of our people – once again – reminds us all there is hope. We are in this together. pic.twitter.com/rOutx2f1Ri

    — Governor Andy Beshear (@GovAndyBeshear) March 5, 2023

    The storm system was predicted to bring thunderstorms, high winds and tornadoes to the Southeast and heavy snow to the Midwest and Northeast, as the National Weather Service (NWS) warned Thursday. 

    A potent winter storm will produce a swath of heavy snow and area of ice from the Upper Midwest through New England Friday and Saturday. Severe thunderstorms may bring damaging winds and tornadoes over the Southeast U.S. and heavy rain may produce flooding in the Ohio Valley. pic.twitter.com/OcLsRs30yF

    — National Weather Service (@NWS) March 3, 2023

    This is essentially what happened. Most of the deaths occurred in the Southeast and the Ohio Valley. Reported tornadoes wreaked havoc on Alabama, Louisiana, Kentucky, Arkansas and Texas, according to AP News. 

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    “It was very scary. I opened the front door to look out and saw it coming. I grabbed Kevin and went and got into the bathtub,” Arkansas resident Betty Andrews, who survived a tornado with her husband in their mobile home, told KSLA. “We hunkered down, and I said some prayers until it passed.”

    Wind-felled trees were especially deadly, leading to three deaths in Alabama, one in Mississippi and two in Tennessee, as AP News reported. One man in Arkansas died after driving into a flood. In Kentucky, the NWS in Louisville said the storm was “historic.” 

    “Today’s powerful and historic storm produced peak wind gusts between 60-80 mph,” the agency tweeted. “Unfortunately, this caused widespread wind damage and has left hundreds of thousands without power.”

    Today's powerful and historic storm produced peak wind gusts between 60-80 mph. Unfortunately, this caused widespread wind damage and has left hundreds of thousands without power (531,692+ in Kentucky as of this evening). #KYwx #INwx #wind pic.twitter.com/j9wZ8lx2vs

    — NWS Louisville (@NWSLouisville) March 4, 2023

    Deaths were also reported in Indiana and Michigan. In Michigan, the main hazard was snow, which forced the Detroit Metropolitan Airport to close for a short period of time, as NPR reported. 

    Here is the latest forecast storm total snowfall through tonight for the winter storm. Peak of the event will be between 5pm-midnight with 1-2 inch per hr snowfall rates possible. Extremely difficult to near impossible travel conditions can be expected. #miwx pic.twitter.com/GSVMpPelD1

    — NWS Detroit (@NWSDetroit) March 3, 2023

    Snow – more than a foot of it — also shuttered businesses and canceled flights in parts of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and New York. 

    Weather-weary denizens of the central U.S. should not expect relief this week. Another storm system is projected to begin in the Plains, starting in the Rockies Wednesday with the potential to bring snow to the Upper Midwest by Friday, AccuWeather said. Rain further south could lead to flooding as it falls on already damp earth.

    “There is the potential for some states in the northern Plains to be hit with two snowstorms within a week,” said AccuWeather meteorologist Joseph Bauer.

    The climate crisis makes extreme weather more likely because a warmer atmosphere leads to more intense storms that generate more precipitation. 

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      Olivia Rosane

      Olivia Rosane is a freelance writer and reporter with a decade’s worth of experience. She has been contributing to EcoWatch daily since 2018 and has also covered environmental themes for Treehugger, The Trouble, YES! Magazine and Real Life. She holds a Ph.D. in English Literature from the University of Cambridge and a master’s in Art and Politics from Goldsmiths, University of London.
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