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Devastating Tornadoes Level Towns Across the Midwest USA

Written by Team Morecast

 

The worst severe storm outbreak since 2021 struck the Midwest U.S. on Friday. At least 65 tornado reports have been tallied so far by the Storm Prediction Center across eight states (see map below). So far nine deaths have been attributed to the storms with dozens more hospitalized.

 

 

The outbreak was widely anticipated by forecasters in the days leading up to Friday. The SPC (Storm Prediction Center) issued a rare “High Risk” severe storm outlook for the first time in more than two years. Storms developed first from Iowa into Missouri and Arkansas in the midday before sprinting east across the Mississippi River. The severe storms continued well into the overnight, a particularly dangerous situation as the lack of daylight visibility increases the risk that people will be caught off guard.

 

 

 

The worst tornadoes struck the northern Little Rock metro area and the city of Wynne, Arkansas. Little Rock is the capital of Arkansas and the state’s largest city. A devastating tornado rolled across the northern suburbs a little after two p.m. local time (see video above). Two hours later, another strong tornado touched down in the smaller city of Wynne. Officials there described “total destruction” through the heart of downtown, including the high school where dozens were trapped. Other severe tornadoes struck Iowa, Tennessee, Illinois, and Indiana (see video of damage above). The roof of the Apollo Theater in Belvidere, IL collapsed due to strong winds, leaving one dead and dozens more seriously injured. Lead photo courtesy Flickr contributor Lane Pearman.

Latest Winter Storm Brings Rare Tornado to Los Angeles

Written by Team Morecast

 

The stormy late-season pattern continues in the western U.S. The latest storm brought more flooding rains and mountain snows. It also spun down a rare tornado in the L.A. Basin, damaging buildings and cars. On a positive note, the abundant rainfall has refilled numerous lakes and reservoirs in the region that had been decimated by drought in recent years. Springtime snow melt will bring additional flooding potential and lake replenishment.

 

 

The tornado, rated EF1 after a survey by the National Weather Service damage assessment team, was the strongest to hit the Los Angeles metro area in forty years. Tornadic winds up to 110 mph (177 kph) tore roofs from a dozen buildings and destroyed several cars (see video above). It was the second tornado to hit southern California in the past week. The same system brought damaging winds to mountain communities just south of San Francisco after rapidly intensifying just offshore (see video below). At one point more than 700,000 Californians were without power due to the storm.

 

 

The active weather pattern has actually been beneficial for many parts of California and neighboring states. Snowpack statewide is running nearly twice as much as normal and some ski resorts are making plans to remain open through July. Indeed, some resorts have gotten so much snow that lifts are unable to run (see video below). One station near Lake Tahoe in the Sierra Nevada range has reported 677 inches (17.2 m) of snowfall this winter.

 

Brutal Heat Wave Torches Northern and Central Argentina

Written by Team Morecast

 

The hottest summer on record in portions of Argentina has not ended with the calendar start of autumn on 1-March. The first ten days of March saw temperatures soaring up to 10 degrees C warmer than average. Record highs have been recorded again and again across the country. The hot, dry weather has sparked numerous wildfires, burning nearly 250,000 acres (100,000 hectares) of forest and farmland since the beginning of the year.

 

 

Years of below normal rainfall set the stage for unusual heat coming into the summer. The three-years-long La Niña also contributed to below normal rainfall and above normal temperatures. However, the heat wave this summer is unprecedented. The capital city of Buenos Aires has seen highs exceeding 30 deg C (86 deg F) every day since 28-February, including their hottest March temperature ever this past Monday. Numerous other cities and towns have seen record highs exceeding 40 deg C (104 deg F).

 

 

Corn, soybean, and wheat crops have taken catastrophic losses up to 30% due to the heat and wildfires. This will exacerbate economic woes in a country already seeing one of the world’s highest rates of inflation, more than 100% according to the latest figures. Farmers project losses up to $14 billion.

Frigid Winter Storm Blasts the Western U.S.

Written by Team Morecast

 

A strong winter storm is raking the west coast of the U.S. with historic cold and wind. Snow has been over lower elevations totally unaccustomed to seeing flakes fly, including Las Vegas and parts of the Los Angeles Basin. At the lower elevations, torrential rain is producing devastating flooding and landslides. Gusty winds are combining with rain-loosened soils to fell powerlines and trees, leaving nearly a million residents in the dark.

 

 

 

The storm first affected portions of Washington and Oregon. As temperatures plummeted, heavy rain changed to snow even as low in elevation as the Oregon coast (see video above). Nearly eleven inches (28 cm) of snow accumulated Thursday in the city of Portland, the second-snowiest day on record. The surprise snowstorm stranded thousands of motorists, some of them stuck for up to 13 hours trying to get home. This was followed by record cold temperatures early Friday morning.

 

 

A band of rich tropical moisture is shifting south tonight with the storm into Southern California. Up to seven inches (178 mm) of rain has already fallen in the L.A. Basin, leading to flash flooding and swelling rivers (see above). As the powerful cold low approaches, snow levels will be falling. The highest peaks above 4,000 feet (1,219 m) will see several feet of accumulation through this weekend. Elevations as low as 1,000 feet will see significant accumulations of wet, heavy snow, putting pressure on trees and powerlines. Winds will also be gusting as 75 mph (120 kph), leading to dangerous whiteout conditions. This has prompted the National Weather Service office in Los Angeles to issue its first blizzard warning since 1989, while the San Diego office issued its first ever. These dangerous conditions will shut down major travel arteries across the region, including Interstates 5 and 81.