New York – As a powerful Spring storm, accompanied by hail and tornadoes, hit the central United States from Mississippi to Wisconsin, approximately 700 flights into and around the country were cancelled, with around 4,800 experiencing delays.
A severe thunderstorm and strong winds are anticipated to hit some areas of the East Coast, including New York City, on Saturday night, as a result of a powerful spring storm that spawned fatal tornadoes across the southern and Midwestern United States.
The Associated Press reported that the storm, which caused at least 18 deaths, has now shifted towards the east after causing hail, strong winds, and tornadoes in areas ranging from Mississippi to Wisconsin.
The National Weather Service has warned that the powerful spring storm system moving east could result in an isolated brief tornado, mostly to the west of New York City and the Hudson River. The extent of the threat of severe storms remains uncertain, the NWS said. Wind gusts of up to 58 miles per hour could also affect the Mid-Atlantic region.
New York City officials have forecasted drenching rains for the region from late Saturday into Sunday, but have reassured that there won’t be any flooding. Notify NYC, the emergency management website, posted a statement saying, “This is not an April Fools’ joke!”
According to FlightAware, around 700 flights into and around the US were cancelled on Saturday morning, with roughly 4,800 experiencing delays. The majority of the cancelled flights were from Chicago and Atlanta, two significant travel hubs. The National Weather Service warned that southern Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina could also face severe weather. These thunderstorms could result in tornadoes, hail, and straight-line winds, which can cause destruction and are sometimes misidentified as tornadoes.
The powerful storm that hit 11 states in the southern and Midwestern US caused widespread damage, with cars thrown off roads, homes destroyed, and buildings badly damaged in Tennessee, Arkansas, and Indiana. Poweroutage.us reported that nearly 600,000 people were left without power late Friday, and over 237,000 were still waiting to be reconnected in Ohio on Saturday. In Belvidere, Illinois, the roof of the Apollo Theater was ripped off during a heavy-metal concert, resulting in at least one person being killed, according to ABC-7 in Chicago.
According to the AP, Belvidere Police Chief Shane Woody described the scene as “chaos, absolute chaos.” Meanwhile, in Little Rock, the mayor reported that a tornado had caused damage or destruction to 2,100 homes in the Arkansas capital.
President Joe Biden’s visit to Rolling Fork, Mississippi, where he met with residents affected by deadly tornadoes, was followed by the recent storms that caused destruction in several states. Biden spoke with Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders and other local officials on Saturday, according to a White House spokesperson.
