Parts of the Northeast are gearing up for what could be very heavy snow on Tuesday after tornadoes and other strong winds swept through parts of the Southern Plains and Midwest, killing at least one person in Oklahoma and leaving some residents of Michigan faced a sixth straight day without power Iice storm last week.
In California, the National Weather Service said winter storms will continue to move into the state through Wednesday.
A storm system spawned at least four tornadoes as it passed through central and northeastern Illinois on Monday, including two that formed in suburbs west of Chicago, authorities said. Initial reports suggested damage there was limited to fallen trees or shingles torn from buildings, said Rafal Ogorek, a meteorologist in the Chicago office of the National Weather Service.
At least one person was killed and three others injured after a tornado touched down in far western Oklahoma near the town of Cheyenne on Sunday night, damaging 20 homes and destroying four others, Roger Mills County Emergency Manager Levi Blackketter reported.
Statewide Oklahoma officials received reports of 55 people suffering weather-related injuries from area hospitals.
Officials in Norman, Oklahoma, confirmed 12 weather-related injuries after tornadoes and wind gusts as high as 90 mph (145 km/h) were reported in the state on Sunday night. The wind toppled trees and power lines, closed roads and damaged homes and businesses around Norman and Shawnee.
Classes were canceled Monday at two damaged elementary schools, Norman police chief Kevin Foster said.
More than 76,000 customers lost power in Oklahoma, but most had it restored by Monday morning, Oklahoma’s Office of Emergency Management reported.
Blizzard warnings went into effect Monday in the Sierra Nevada range as more rain and snow moved into California and Nevada.
The new streak of storms came even as parts of California were still excavating from last week’s powerful storm, adding to a massive snow pack left behind by a siege of “atmospheric rivers” in December and January.
Los Angeles County has issued a cold weather warning for valley and mountain areas north of LA as overnight temperatures were expected to dip below freezing for much of the week. Shelters were opened for residents who do not have access to warm areas.
A winter storm warning blanketed parts of the northeastern U.S., including Connecticut, New York, Massachusetts, New Jersey and Rhode Island, with heavy snowfall through Tuesday afternoon.
