Severe storms are headed for the Pacific Northwest – as forecasters warn of devastating tornadoes and damaging winds through Tuesday night.
Bill Bunting, an expert at the Storm Prediction Center, said the tornadoes stretching from Illinois to Louisiana are likely to continue overnight when most people are asleep and unprepared.
Just yesterday, about 10,000 were without power in St. Charles Parish after torrential weather gusted to 86 to 110 miles per hour.
And much of the region is now under an extreme weather warning — meaning the potential for dangerous tornadoes and strong winds to hit is very high.
The lower Mississippi River Valley regions of Memphis and Bartlett, Tennessee, Jonesboro and Pine Bluff, Arkansas and Monroe, Louisiana, have three out of five increased hurricane risks that will affect more than three million people, according to the Storm Prediction Center. ,
“Unfortunately, it appears the threat of severe thunderstorms will continue into Tuesday evening and overnight,” Bunting told CNN. ‘This storm system will have the potential to produce severe storm surge, capable of tornadoes, damaging straight-line winds, and large hail.’
Tornadoes and high winds are predicted to hit the lower Mississippi River Valley Tuesday night
The areas most affected are expected to extend through Tennessee, Arkansas and Louisiana
The tornado warning comes after a tornado hit Paradis, Louisiana – which is just outside New Orleans – on Saturday and left thousands without power. Pictured: A classroom torn apart by a tornado
A mobile trailer overturned after a tornado hit the city on Saturday
Thousands were left without power after the storm
Forecasters warn that tornadoes can strike at night while people are sleeping, and the areas most at risk are between Illinois and Louisiana.
Forecasters warned that the level three alert could move to level five and move toward cities that have less hurricane risk, such as Houston and Pasadena, Texas, Nashville, Tennessee and New Orleans, Louisiana.
“Details about the areas most at risk from tornadoes will become clearer as Tuesday gets closer and smaller-scale trends become more apparent,” Bunting said.
Some areas could get up to four inches of rain as storms are expected overnight. PARADIS, Louisiana — The warning comes after a tornado touched down Saturday about 20 miles outside of New Orleans.
The Storm Prediction Center’s weather map shows the storm will have effects across southern Texas and into Wisconsin and Michigan.
Tornadoes are predicted to form overnight in areas from Louisiana to Illinois, where the highest risk is, according to Bunting.
Bunting warned that tornadoes at night are more dangerous than during the day because fewer people are usually aware of a tornado occurring during normal sleeping hours.
“Another challenge with nighttime tornadoes, especially in the fall and winter, is that the storms typically move at 50 or 60 miles per hour,” Bunting told the news outlet.
The effects of the storm are expected to extend to southern Texas
In the Southeast, wind advisories are in place for about nine million people on Monday, including Louisiana, where a tornado was confirmed on Saturday. Image: A damaged roof
A tree is seen damaged after a tornado ripped through the city
Video shows severe storms hit the area and footage shows widespread damage and downed power lines in the New Orleans metropolitan area
Nearly 10,000 people were without power in St. Charles Parish after winds of 86 to 110 mph
Parts of the city were devastated by a tornado that formed on Saturday afternoon and spread throughout the area before dying out
Recent storms are also slowing down Thanksgiving travelers.
According to AAA, nearly 55 million people were expected to travel more than 50 miles from home during the holidays, about 98 percent of pre-pandemic levels.
Flight Aware, which tracks delays and cancellations, has reported 34 flight delays and 400 cancellations in and out of the US so far on Tuesday. Meanwhile, 8,740 delays were reported with 1,954 cancellations till Sunday afternoon.
In the southeast, wind advisories are in place for about nine million people on Monday, including Louisiana, where a tornado was confirmed on Saturday.
The video shows the intense storm hitting the New Orleans metropolitan area with further footage showing one ton of damage and downed power lines.
The area has also faced several marine warnings throughout the evening due to wind and rain.
Forecasters warned people near the path of the tornado to beware of flying debris that could damage mobile homes, roofs, windows and vehicles.
But as heavy rain hits the southern half of the country and moves toward the Mid-Atlantic region, travel could be affected in cities from Chicago to Atlanta to Washington to Nashville.
