From L.A. to Minneapolis, U.S. bashed by extreme winter storms By Reuters

By Brendan O’Brien

CHICAGO (Reuters) -A lethal monster U.S. winter storm stored its grip on the Northern Plains and Higher Midwest on Thursday, delivering heavy snows, freezing rains and gusty winds whereas leaving tons of of 1000’s with out energy and grounding tons of of flights.

The broad swath of the northern United States – from Washington state to New England – remained underneath winter climate advisories. Some spots may even see one other 18 inches (46 cm) of snow, winds clocking in at 50 miles (80 km) per hour and wind chills equal to minus 40 levels Fahrenheit (minus 40 C) all through the day, the Nationwide Climate Service stated.

On the similar time, elements of the Ohio Valley and the South might see close to record-breaking excessive temperatures, starting Thursday and persevering with over the following few days. On Sunday, it is anticipated to hit 88 F (31 C) in Jacksonville, Florida.

In Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana and New York, excessive winds and freezing rains left some 900,000 properties and companies with out energy on Thursday morning, in line with Poweroutage.us.

Close to hard-hit hard-hit Grand Rapids, Michigan, a firefighter died in an incident involving an influence line downed by ice, native officers stated on Twitter.

The storm delayed or canceled greater than 1,300 flights throughout the nation, in line with Flightware.com. And authorities warned that drivers would face treacherous street situations.

“Journey on the roads could be harmful with only a hint of ice. However we’re seeing ice caking from 1 / 4 to half inch,” stated Richard Bann, of the climate service’s Climate Prediction Middle in Faculty Park, Maryland. “That may be virtually unimaginable.”

In Ann Arbor, Michigan, dwelling of the College of Michigan, virtually 20,000 properties and companies misplaced energy. Nathan Pietryga, supervisor of the long-standing school hangout Pizza Bob’s, counted himself one of many fortunate ones.

“I made it to work, a bit shuffling on the ice,” he stated.

Courses on the college weren’t canceled, however college students had been suggested to make use of discretion. Pietryga indicated he anticipated to promote some pizza. “We have been right here without end, the children will are available,” he stated.

A separate storm spawned uncommon climate in California, the place a lot of the state was underneath excessive wind and winter storm warnings.

Uncommon winter flurries had been reported in San Francisco whereas blizzard situations had been anticipated in excessive elevations – even within the Los Angeles space. By Saturday, as much as 8 toes (2.4 meters) of snow might accumulate on Mount Baldy, about 45 miles (72 km)east of Los Angeles within the San Gabriel Mountains.

“Snow is on the best way and lots. We’re doing our greatest to brace for it in an effort to be prepared for some powtastic days at SoCal’s raddest mountain,” Mt Baldy Resort stated in a tweet, asserting it was closed on Thursday.

Specialists say the rising frequency and depth of such storms, interspersed with excessive warmth and dry spells, are signs of local weather change. Whereas the East Coast has skilled a comparatively delicate winter, the Northern Plains has skilled an excessive one when it comes to snowfall and low temperatures, in line with the climate service.

On Thursday morning, snow was falling at a fee of 1 to 2 inches an hour in Minneapolis, a Midwestern metropolis in a metropolitan space that’s dwelling to about 2.9 million individuals. New accumulations added to the 8 inches of snow already dumped by the storm.

Video footage and pictures on social media confirmed vehicles caught on roadways, whereas streets and walkways had been coated in drifting snow.

“Massive-time flakes coming down right here,” storm chaser Aaron Jayjack stated in a video he posted on Twitter from Minneapolis. “That is the ultimate push of the storm, and actually seems to be heaviest snowfall but.”

The Minneapolis faculty system was holding courses remotely for greater than 29,000 pupils for the remainder of the week. Dozens of faculty districts additionally canceled courses in North and South Dakota, Colorado, Michigan and Wyoming.

The storm was anticipated to dissipate on Thursday.