Extreme Weather Expected Across Much of the U.S. This Week
From heavy rains and flooding along the Eastern Coast to snowfall in western mountainous regions to a potential polar vortex that could affect much of the contiguous U.S., the country is facing many instances of extreme weather over the next week.
To start the week, a winter storm moved across the northeastern U.S. on Sunday, bringing over 1 foot of snow to some areas of Massachusetts, Connecticut and New York, NPR reported. The storms caused power outages for thousands of people in the northeast. The heavy snowfall also led to hundreds of flight cancellations, Bloomberg reported.
Beginning on Monday, parts of the Midwest are expected to see up to 1 foot of snow as well. Heavy snow is possible in the Midwest, Great Plains, Great Lakes and parts of the Northeast this week, CNN reported. The National Weather Service shared on social media that people in much of the eastern U.S. and Gulf Coast area should prepare for power outages.
“The dangerous winter storm is expected to continue through Tuesday night,” said the National Weather Service of the storm passing over Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin this week. “Heavy accumulating snow is expected. Winds will gust up to 40 mph on Tuesday afternoon and night [and] will cause blowing and drifting of snow. The commutes from Tuesday through Wednesday morning will be impacted. A winter storm warning is in effect for this storm.”
In the southern U.S., Gulf states are facing storms, flooding and strong winds, according to AccuWeather’s severe weather map. Northeastern Texas and parts of coastal Louisiana and Mississippi also have the highest risk for tornadoes in the area.
“A piece of robust energy will bring disruptive thunderstorms that can produce damaging winds, hail and tornadoes to the Gulf Coast states. An inflow of moisture along the Gulf of Mexico from eastern Texas and southern Louisiana will aid in the development of thunderstorms across the region,” AccuWeather meteorologist Alexander Duffus said.
Another storm system is expected midweek that will start with chances of rain, flooding and blizzard conditions in the Northwestern U.S., The New York Times reported. Western mountains regions could see even more snowfall over the next two weeks.
Another extreme weather event to watch for: a polar vortex. As Axios reported, a tropospheric polar vortex could reach the contiguous U.S., leading to temperatures around 50 degrees Fahrenheit below average by mid-month.
With extreme weather affecting much of the country, scientists remained concerned over how the climate crisis is impacting the severity and frequency of these types of events. Although research is ongoing, a study by Carbon Brief found that 70% of over 400 analyzed extreme weather events were made more likely or more severe by climate change.
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