Ben Finley and John Raby
A group of people in the eastern U.S. extending from Kentucky to the national capital, wasting heavy snow and rain, causing hundreds of traffic accidents, causing hundreds of traffic accidents when temperatures began to rise on Wednesday, erupting in some places and threatened flooding. Meanwhile, California is preparing for an atmospheric river that may have flooded the nearest wildfires.
A path from Kentucky to Maryland, looking north on Tuesday towards a path that brought over 14 inches (37 cm) of snow to the Iron Gate, a small Appalachian town in West Virginia, West Virginia The state's White Sulphur Springs 12-inch National Weather Service says it is a small city about 65 miles (105 kilometers) from the west.
By Wednesday, Virginia had more than 190,000 customers and nearly 16,000 customers in North Carolina had lost power, according to PowerOutage.us. The Appalachian power, which serves one million customers in West Virginia, Virginia and Tennessee, said Tuesday that 5,400 workers were trying to restore power.
Scott Kleebauer, a meteorologist at the Meteorological Prediction Center at the Meteorological Service, said the area's airport had snowed a few inches.
“After a few very quiet seasons, things are back,” he said.
According to Flightaware.com, which tracked flights, nearly 4,000 flights were cancelled or postponed to the U.S. on Wednesday, including about 250 vehicles entering the Ronald Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C.
The school was cancelled for the second consecutive day, with the Baltimore and Washington, D.C. districts also telling students and teachers to take leave Wednesday. Some families took the opportunity to go to sled outside the U.S. Capitol.
Flood threat
As temperatures rise, a mixture of snow and ice is expected to turn into rain by Wednesday afternoon. Flood concerns arise as rain and melted snow water rush into rivers and streams in areas where the storm has been saturated.
By Thursday morning, the Weather Bureau said flood threats stretched from eastern Tennessee to southwestern Virginia to other areas in the south.
“Once we enter Thursday, our main problem will be potential flood effects as we see rivers and streams melting the combined effects of snow and rainwater at the same time.” Vance Joe, a meteorologist in Blacksburg, Virginia. Vance Joyner said.
Hundreds of accidents
In Kentucky, a frontal fatal crash in Nelson County, south of Louisville on Tuesday. According to Brad Metcalf, the county’s emergency management director, the driver lost control of the car’s entry curve, crossed the centerline of the road and hit an oncoming semi-truck driving. The driver died at the scene.
In Virginia where Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin declared a state of emergency, state police held about 850 crashes Tuesday and Wednesday, with dozens of people involved in injury. A spokesperson for an agent said it was unknown whether the weather caused the crash.
Maryland State Police reported 235 crashes and 185 unpopular or unattended vehicles.
In southern West Virginia, several major highways were temporarily closed Tuesday.
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The mess in the west
The West's points do not avoid the cold chaos. The Weather Bureau said heavy snow would pour out on Wednesday from Oklahoma to the Great Lakes.
The government office is closed in parts of Oklahoma, Kansas and Missouri, and some universities in Iowa have canceled courses.
On the West Coast, officials in Mutenomah County, Oregon extended the emergency at least Thursday and opened five emergency shelters at noon Wednesday. The Weather Bureau said the wind chill readings could drop to 10 degrees (minus 12 degrees Celsius) in Portland.
In Portland, Oregon, the ice storm forecast Thursday and Friday could challenge Valentine's Day flowers and other gifts. Temperatures plummeted in the region earlier this week, which is known for rainfall, resulting in the opening of five emergency shelters in Multnomah County.
Julia Duncan, co-owner of Portland's flying flowers, shrugged and said the area has endured ice storms in the past winter and that customers are willing to give more to the people they like. mile.
“This is Valentine's Day!” Duncan said. “We just have to wait and see what happens.”
Although the weather may slow down delivery, “we are near where many people also tend to take pickups, and (we) have several drivers who are willing to drive in the snow and ice,” Duncan said. “So hope it won’t affect us much.”
California Rain
Light rain began in California on Wednesday as the state prepares for a strong atmospheric river. In the next few days, long water vapor expected to transport moisture from the tropical region to the northern latitude will bring downpours, strong winds and snow on the mountains. The Meteorological Bureau said the San Francisco Bay area could land 5 inches (13 cm) before Friday's storm.
The biggest threat is the threat to the Los Angeles area, where the devastating wildfire exposed hillsides could be relaxed by flooding of ashes, dirt and vegetation last month. Staff set barriers throughout the week in affected communities and in cleaning up debris basins. Evacuation warnings are issued for residents in hot areas. More than 700,000 sandbags have been arranged in Central and Southern California, according to the state Department of Water Resources. A section of the Pacific Coast Expressway near Palisades Fire Scar was closed for preventive measures.
Associated Press reporters from all over the United States contributed to the report.
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