TOMS RIVER, N.J. (AP) — A major spring storm was expected to begin dumping more than a foot of snow in parts of New England Wednesday night as heavy rain soaked the East Coast and cleanup efforts continued. in some states At least two people are said to have died as a result of severe weather, including tornadoes.
The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning for several New England states, calling for 7 to 18 inches (18 to 46 centimeters) of snow, with locally as much as 24 inches (61 centimeters) in higher elevations. More than 100,000 snowfalls are expected. Parts of New Hampshire and Maine were expected to be the most expensive.
A mix of rain and snow is expected to move across the region by evening and continue in many areas into Thursday night.
Maine officials warned that the storm is expected to cause difficult travel conditions, power outages and minor coastal flooding.
Associated Press correspondent Donna Warder reports that powerful storms have hit multiple states, leaving thousands of homes without power.
“Due to unfavorable driving conditions, travel is discouraged during this storm,” Maine Emergency Management Agency Director Pete Rogers said in a statement. “People should prepare for the possibility of extended power outages by preparing their homes with emergency supplies and alternative power sources, and should charge their mobile devices in advance.”
In New Hampshire, the U.S. Forest Service has issued an avalanche watch through Friday afternoon for parts of the White Mountains, including the 6,288-foot (1,917-meter) Mount Washington, the highest peak in the Northeast. The service warned backcountry hikers and skiers that more than 30 inches (76 centimeters) of snow could fall at higher elevations, creating dangerous avalanche conditions.
Coastal flood warnings and watches are in effect for many areas from Maine to Long Island, New York, while wind gusts of up to 60 mph are expected along the eastern Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut coasts. ing. Heavy rain and severe thunderstorms are also expected to affect the mid-Atlantic states and Florida.
Forecasters said heavy, wet snow will continue to fall across Wisconsin and Upper Michigan into Thursday, with totals of 6 to 10 inches (15 to 20 centimeters) in far northern Wisconsin and 2 to 4 inches (5 to 10 centimeters) in Madison. centimeter), but traces of Milwaukee. Meanwhile, some residents in Michigan's Upper Peninsula have already seen several inches of snow, with total accumulations expected to be more than 2 feet (0.6 meters).
The severe weather comes a day after powerful storms battered several states across the country, knocking out power to thousands of homes and businesses.
A 46-year-old homeless woman from Tulsa who had taken shelter in a drainage pipe is believed to have died as a storm moved through northeastern Oklahoma Tuesday, spawning three suspected tornadoes and dumping heavy rain. .
The storm spawned at least five tornadoes in Kentucky, leaving one person dead and causing widespread damage in multiple counties, Gov. Andy Beshear announced Wednesday afternoon.
Beshear said most of the weather-related deaths were due to traffic accidents in Campbell County. No other major injuries were reported.
Tornadoes touched down in Nelson, Anderson and Jessamine counties and the city of Prospect on Tuesday, according to the weather service.
In addition to the confirmed tornadoes, Beshear said investigators are surveying damage in four other counties to determine whether tornadoes occurred. More than a dozen other counties reported damage from the storm, he said.
“We will get through this and we will get through this together,” he said. “So many people are hurting right now, and we want you to know that we are here for you.”
Crews in Rockdale County, Georgia, were scheduled to survey damage overnight to determine if a tornado touched down, the weather service said.
“A tree hit my living room,” Carolyn Gilman told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Gilman said he heard rain falling in his east Atlanta home after riding out the storm in his bathroom.
“That loud whoosh, that loud crash that I heard, turned out to be a tree coming through,” Gilman told the newspaper.
An EF-1 tornado also touched down in the northeastern Tennessee town of Sunbright on Tuesday, according to the weather service.
The tornado's path was approximately 4.5 kilometers (4.5 kilometers) and 150 yards (137 meters) wide, the weather service added. The twister damaged numerous homes and businesses, as well as barns and hardwoods, in the city of about 500 people. No injuries or deaths were reported.
Sunbright Mayor Karen Melton told the Knoxville News Sentinel. After the tornado passed, she drove downtown and found her family there, she said.
“We had a young mother and father holding a baby, toddler and 4-year-old child when the tornado blew the roof off their apartment. … It was really scary and sad,” Melton said. Ta. “But they were okay. She had some wounds, but the babies were okay.”
More than 103,000 homes and businesses in West Virginia were without power Wednesday, mostly in the southern part of the state. power outage.us. Some Appalachian Power customers may not have service restored until Thursday night, the utility said.
Schools were closed in eight of West Virginia's 55 counties on Wednesday, and the state of emergency declared by Gov. Jim Justice on Tuesday continued in several counties. Moderate flooding was forecast for the Ohio River, which was expected to rise nearly 6 feet (1.8 meters) above flood stage in Wheeling on Thursday.
Roads were closed in Crisp County, Georgia, as emergency crews surveyed damage to multiple homes and buildings after a storm early Wednesday morning, authorities said.
Photos shared by the sheriff's office showed a large tree on top of a home and power lines running through the yard and road. Residents were advised to limit their movements due to damage and the possibility of gas leaks.
“We have been on scene all morning assessing the damage and trying to make sure everyone in the home is safe,” Crisp County Sheriff Billy Hancock said via Facebook. .
Crisp County is approximately 140 miles (225 km) south of Atlanta.
Flooding was also a problem in parts of Ohio and Pennsylvania.
Between 5.1 and 8.9 centimeters of rain fell across western Pennsylvania starting late Monday night, causing flooding across the region. Flood warnings were in place for much of the region until Wednesday afternoon due to widespread risks of water on roads and rising streams, streams and rivers. Several homeless encampments along Pittsburgh's Three Rivers Heritage Trail have been abandoned due to flooding concerns.
Several counties in northeastern Ohio experienced mild to moderate flooding after three days of near-constant rain. Flood watches and warnings remained in place, but the situation was expected to improve by Wednesday night.
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Associated Press writers Rebecca Reynolds in Louisville, Kentucky, Dave Collins in Hartford, Connecticut, Jon LaVey in Charleston, West Virginia, Jeff Martin in Atlanta and Adrian Sainz in Memphis, Tennessee, contributed to this report.
