Severe thunderstorms across the Southern Plains and Southeast have lead to at least 43 fatalities over the course of several days. Following Christmas Day, a tornado outbreak across the Southern Plains left a path of massive damage across the region. The hardest hit area was in Garland, Texas, a suburb of Dallas, after an EF4 tornado with winds greater than 165 mph (265 km/h) left homes and buildings completely destroyed. Severe thunderstorms continued Sunday and Monday into Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi with several tornadoes causing additional damage and fatalities.
Blizzard in southwestern Plains
The same intense low pressure system responsible for the severe weather outbreak brought heavy snow and ice to the Southwestern Plains as colder air moved into the area. While violent thunderstorms raged in east Texas and Louisiana with temperatures near 80° F (26° C), sharp temperature contrasts lead to blizzard conditions across New Mexico as well as the Texas and Oklahoma Panhandles where temperatures reached as low as 25°F (-4°C). Strong winds caused massive snow drifts with local media reporting snow drifts over 9 feet (3 meters) shutting down stretches of Interstate 40.
Ice Storm downs trees and power lines
Portions of northern and western Oklahoma were hit with an ice storm Sunday that left up to 0.5 inches (12 mm) of ice on the surface. With the additional weight of the ice and strong wind gusts up to 40 mph (65 km/h), many tree branches and power lines collapsed leading to nearly 200,000 people without power and numerous road closures.
Flooding along the Mississippi River
Although the rain and snow has ended for Missouri and Illinois, flooding will continue for areas in the Mississippi River watershed. Record flooding has already shut down portions of major highways, such as Interstate 44, as rainwater from previous days drains into the rivers. Residents in low lying areas near the affected rivers have been forced to evacuate their homes. Several lives were taken due to the flooding, many being motorists whose cars were unable to navigate the flooded roads. In St. Louis, the Mississippi River is forecast to reach a crest height of 43.1 feet by January 1, 13.1 feet above flood stage. Major damage has already been reported in the St. Louis area as well as many cities across Missouri and Illinois. Check the forecast for your area on the MORECAST app to see if more rain could affect flooding in your area.