Early Northeast Snowstorm Destined to Shatter Records

By Bill Deger, Meteorologist

Oct 29, 2011; 1:25 PM ET

From a historical perspective, the upcoming major Northeast winter storm could prove to be unprecedented in terms of its early arrival in the season and the amount of snow it will drop.

ALSO: Saturday vs. Oct. 1987 New England Snow Storm

AccuWeather.com meteorologists are now confident that several inches to a foot of heavy, wet and, in some cases, damaging snow will fall over parts of the mid-Atlantic and New England on Saturday.

Expert Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski has specifics on the forecast for the upcoming storm.

The notion of a pre-Halloween snowstorm has our meteorologists and climatologists scrambling to put the storm into some sort of perspective as to how many records could be busted by this snowstorm.

For many cities, the snowstorm could go down as the biggest on record for the month of October:

Largest October Snow Events:

--Allentown, Pa.: 2.2 inches on Oct. 31, 1925

--Baltimore, Md.: 2.5 inches on Oct. 30, 1925

--Boston, Mass.: 1.1 inches on Oct. 29, 2005

--Hartford, Conn.: 1.7 inches on Oct. 10, 1979

--Philadelphia, Pa.: 2.1 inches on Oct. 10, 1979

--New York City, N.Y. (Central Park): 0.8 of an inch on Oct. 30, 1925

--Washington, D.C.: 2.0 inches on Oct. 31, 1925

Allentown, Pa., and Hartford, Conn., the cities with the best shot at breaking this record, could also record their first-ever 6-inch or more snowstorm in October.

Also of note, Central Park in New York City has never recorded an inch or more of snow in October since records started being kept in 1869.

As the next list shows, this will be the first measurable October snowfall for most of these cities since 1979, except for at Central Park, where the last measurable snow in October was nearly 60 years ago in 1952.

Most Recent Date of Measurable Snow in October:

--Allentown, Pa.: 1.0 inches on Oct. 10, 1979

--Baltimore, Md.: 0.3 of an inch on Oct. 10, 1979

--Boston, Mass.: 0.2 of an inch on Oct. 10, 1979

--Hartford, Conn.: 1.7 inches on Oct. 10, 1979

--Philadelphia, Pa.: 2.1 inches on Oct. 10, 1979

--New York City, N.Y. (Central Park): 0.5 of an inch on Oct. 21, 1952

--Washington, D.C.: 0.3 of an inch on Oct. 10, 1979

(* Measurable means more than a trace of snow was recorded)

Records have been kept in Allentown since 1922, Baltimore since 1892, Boston since 1872, Hartford since 1905, Philadelphia since 1884, New York City/Central Park since 1869 and Washington since 1884.

Early Northeast Snowstorm Destined to Shatter Records

AccuWeather.com - WeatherMatrix | One Year Ago... The Boxing Day Blizzard

Dec 22, 2011; 3:57 PM ET

Last year this week, we were forecasting the "Boxing Day Blizzard" which covered Alabama through Maine, and dropped 32 inches of snow near New York City. This year we're confident enough to write off the Christmas Day Blizzard, but last year I warned: "The models did a terrible job of predicting this storm, and didn't get it together until yesterday (24 hours out!)"

In my blog entitled "What You Need to Know About the Boxing Day Blizzard," I warned: "This is going to be a big storm, with heavy snow, high winds, high snow drifts... Roads will close and travel will be nearly impossible over much of the I-95 corridor in the northeast quadrant of the country."

Some of the notable stats from the storm:

- At one point the entire Northeast coast was under a Blizzard Warning
- Atlanta, Georgia celebrated their first White Christmas since 1881
- A buoy off the Nantucket coast dropped to 28.44" pressure (close to Cat 3 Hurricane)
- Winds gusted up to 80 mph in Massachusetts
- A heavy storm surge caused "water up to car windows" in Connecticut

AccuWeather.com - WeatherMatrix | One Year Ago... The Boxing Day Blizzard

Remembering the Valentine's Day Blizzard in 2007

"This picture was taken during the Valentine's Day snowstorm of 07'. I live in Dresden NY, which is on Seneca Lake (22 mi. North of Watkins Glen). It was the first year me and my Girlfriend had Valentine's Dinner at home," said AccuWeather.com Facebook fan Jeremey 

By Meghan Evans, Meteorologist

Feb 14, 2012; 8:19 PM ET

A Valentine's Day Blizzard raged across the Northeast in 2007, dropping as much as 3.5 feet of snow and causing roofs to collapse.

The storm first pushed across the mid-South on Feb. 13, unleashing snow on its northern edge in the Midwest. Chicago got 11.6 inches of snow from Feb. 12-14, 2007.

The storm then shifted off the Atlantic coast on Valentine's Day, strengthening rapidly east of the mid-Atlantic and southeastern New England.

High winds howled and heavy snow thumped across the interior Northeast as the storm gathered strength. Significant blowing and drifting of snow made it even harder on crews trying to keep roads clear.

RELATED: Pictures of Valentine's Day Blizzard in 2007

The heavy snow forced officials to close Interstate 81 and the Northeast Extension of the Pennsylvania Turnpike near Scranton.

A state of emergency was declared in Lackawanna County, Pa., due to the tremendous amount of snow.

The heaviest snow fell from New York state to northern New England, with this corridor receiving 2-3.5 feet.

A 150-year old historical barn collapsed due to the weight of a foot of snow on the Chenango Bridge in New York.

The roof of a building in Wappingers Falls, N.Y., collapsed, displacing 20 people, while 30 inches of snow buried Cooperstown, N.Y., causing the roof of a trailer to collapse.

AccuWeather.com Facebook Fans Share Their Memories of the Blizzard

"I was in Denmark for a wedding and my wife back in NH called to tell me that the wind blew trim off our house. Not fun returning home to repairs and lots of snow. Oh yeah, but before I got home I was stuck in a snowstorm at the airport in Copenhagen," said AccuWeather.com Facebook fan Jason S.

"We have a very long lane and my hubby was plowing so we could out over to Altoona to Red Lobster for dinner..while he was fixing the plow and it fell off tractor and he broke his toe..couldn't walk for days..foot swelled up bad..so feeling bad he made dinner at home and said he would make it up to me on our ann the 25th..while it even snowed more that day but he made his words true..we went to Altoona..was the only ones in there for awhile..the day was great!!!!" said AccuWeather.com Facebook fan Eva S.

"Oh yes I remember that well! That was me and my now husband of 3 years ;) texas road house was the only place open to eat and then we went back to his house to play cards cuz there was nowhere else to go!" reminisced AccuWeather.com Facebook fan Mary K.

"My husband and I spent that Valentine's Day shoveling out our driveway...it was kind of romantic being out there under the moon light in the snow...." said AccuWeather.com Facebook fan Katie B.

Remembering the Valentine's Day Blizzard in 2007

St. Patrick's Day Weekend High Fire Danger

Photo by Photos.com.

By Kristina Pydynowski, Senior Meteorologist

Mar 17, 2012; 1:08 PM ET 

The combination of strong winds and unseasonable warmth has significantly raised the fire danger from Arizona to the High Plains this St. Patrick's Day weekend.

The highest fire danger expands from Arizona to southeastern Colorado and West Texas today, then will encompass the corridor from New Mexico to West Texas and South Dakota on Sunday.

The strongest winds within these zones will gust between 40 and 60 mph, especially during the afternoon and evening hours. Locally higher gusts cannot be ruled out.

The winds are howling ahead of the potent storm barreling through the Southwest with soaking rain, low-elevation snow and hail-producing thunderstorms.

The strength of the winds could cause damage, create blowing dust and overturn semi-trucks and campers.

Conditions are also prime for the winds rapidly spread fires with unseasonably warm and dry air in place.

Worsening the situation is the fact that the Desert Southwest and High Plains have not received significant rain or snow recently, meaning vegetation is now like a matchstick waiting for a spark to start burning.

Residents should use extreme caution with cigarette butts, campfires and sparks to prevent an uncontrollable fire from igniting.

Cities that lie in the high fire danger today include Phoenix, Ariz., Albuquerque, N.M., El Paso and Amarillo, Texas, and Trinidad, Colo.

Albuquerque, El Paso, and Amarillo will remain at risk on Sunday. Other cities that will join them include Pueblo and Denver, Colo., Scottsbluff, Neb., and Rapid City, S.D.

The high fire danger will persist into Monday across the southern High Plains. Despite the return of noticeably cooler air, strong winds and dry air will still be in place.

East of the fire danger, the rest of the southern Plains are bracing for severe and drenching thunderstorms early next week.

St. Patrick's Day Weekend High Fire Danger

St. Patrick's Day Strong Storms: Missouri to Indiana

Photo of a towering thunderstorm cloud, submitted by AccuWeather.com Facebook fan Paul K. on Saturday.

By Kristina Pydynowski, Senior Meteorologist

Mar 17, 2012; 12:42 PM ET

Strong thunderstorms are threatening to ruin St. Patrick's Day celebrations from southern Missouri to southern Indiana into this evening.

The stage is set for potent thunderstorms to erupt from St. Louis and Poplar Bluff, Mo., to Louisville, Ky., with record warmth and moist air in place.

Other cities at risk include Cape Girardeau, Mo., Paducah, Ky., and Evansville, Ind.

Some of the same areas being threatened this St. Patrick's Day were the targets of the massive tornado outbreak earlier this month.

A repeat of that outbreak is not expected since any tornado that touches down into this evening will be an isolated event. Damaging winds, hail and downpours are greater concerns.

Even if a storm-related warning is not issued for your area, be sure to seek shelter immediately once thunder is heard. The sound of thunder means you are close enough to get struck by lightning.

The severe weather danger will lessen across the lower Ohio Valley later this evening following the loss of daytime heating.

Attention will then turn toward an outbreak of severe weather, including tornadoes, that will expand from the southern Plains to the South and Ohio Valley next week.

St. Patrick's Day Strong Storms: Missouri to Indiana

Warmth Returns to New England & Coastal Mid-Atlantic

Brilliant sunshine (Photo courtesy of Photos.com)

By Matt Alto, Meteorologist

Mar 17, 2012; 9:47 AM ET

With unusual warmth continuing across much of the eastern two-thirds of the nation the past week, a backdoor cold front that slowly pushed to the east brought cooler air to the Northeast and coastal mid-Atlantic as we closed out the workweek.

While afternoon highs from the Plains and Midwest to the mid-Atlantic and Southeast experienced springlike temperatures in the 70s and 80s, residents from the Chesapeake Bay area northward into New England had to endure temperatures generally in the 40s and 50s.

In fact, temperatures in Boston hovered in the middle 40s on Wednesday after starting the week with temperatures in the 70s on both Monday and Tuesday.

All this will change starting today as warm air funnels back into the region, allowing residents of the Northeast to also enjoy the springlike warmth that many east of the Rockies have been enjoying the past week.

An area of high pressure will slide off the East Coast this weekend sending a surge of milder air into the Northeast and coastal mid-Atlantic.

As afternoon highs warm into the 60s and 70s this weekend, many locations will be 10-15 degrees above normal.

Some locations across New England will be almost 20 degrees above normal on Sunday and Monday as temperatures near 70 degrees.

Below is a list of the high temperatures on Friday vs. the forecast high for Saturday and Sunday:

City, State	Friday's High	Forecast High Saturday	Forecast High Sunday
New York, N.Y.	51 degrees	63 degrees	63 degrees
Boston, Mass.	46 degrees	56 degrees	62 degrees
Providence, R.I.	44 degrees	59 degrees	61 degrees
Portland, Maine	40 degrees	52 degrees	63 degrees
Concord, N.H.	41 degrees	59 degrees	66 degrees
Albany, N.Y.	50 degrees	65 degrees	65 degrees
Bangor, Maine	36 degrees	59 degrees	62 degrees

The pleasant temperatures will be accompanied by brilliant sunshine and little in the way of wind.

The abnormal warmth will continue into much of next week as the area of high pressure remains parked off the East Coast.

This will allow southerly winds to continue to keep the warm air across much of the Eastern Seaboard with temperatures in the Northeast routinely warming into the 60s and 70s each day.

How warm will it get in your neighborhood, check out your local AccuWeather.com forecast.

Warmth Returns to New England & Coastal Mid-Atlantic

Tropics Continue to Assault Australia

Satellite image of the potential Tropical Cyclone in the Gulf of Carpentaria - courtesy Joint Typhoon Warning Center.

By Evan Duffey, Meteorologist

Mar 17, 2012; 11:00 AM ET

Tropical Cyclone Lua (17S) made landfall today near Port Hedland in Western Australia, bringing torrential rain and damaging winds. And while Lua is now dissipating, another tropical system is developing, and already bringing impacts to land.

Lua brought hurricane-force winds and torrential rains to the coast. Luckily the cyclone went onshore in a relatively lightly populated area. Much of the population of Western Australia is well to the south of where Lua made landfall.

Tropical Cyclone Lua's main impacts going forward will be from drenching rains. Flooding will be a concern across the region, with flash flooding likely in the normally bone dry Gibson and Great Sandy Deserts inland.

A new threat is continuing to develop in the Gulf of Carpentaria. With low shear and warm waters to work with, a low pressure system is slowly gaining strength in the Gulf. The only inhibitor to this near stationary system is its interaction with land on nearly all sides. However, the system will most likely be named sometime of the next few days.

Even if the system never develops into a tropical cyclone, it will wreak havoc on the region, nonetheless. Heavy rainfall will pound the coast of the gulf over the next few days. The system will not leave the region until late week, meaning flooding will be a concern for yet another part of the the continent.

Tropics Continue to Assault Australia

AccuWeather.com - Climate Change | Oceans Acidifying faster Now than Past 300 Million Years

Mar 8, 2012; 10:37 AM ET

Some sobering news from the National Science Foundation......

According to new research, the world's oceans may be currently acidifying at a quicker rate than they have in the past 300 million years.

The high output of global carbon emissions is turning our oceans more acidic. The oceans draw down excess carbon dioxide from the air and that reaction leads to the formation of carbonic acid.

Normally, the carbonic acid is slowly neutralized by fossil carbonate shells on the seafloor, according to the National Science Foundation news release.

Coral and plankton under threat

If too much CO2 enters the ocean too quickly it causes a reduction of carbonate ions that corals and some plankton need for shell and reef-building.

The researchers found evidence for only one period in the last 300 million years when the oceans changed as fast as today: the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum, or PETM, according to the NSF.

In the last hundred years, rising carbon dioxide from human activities has lowered ocean pH by 0.1 unit, an acidification rate at least 10 times faster than 56 million years ago, says lead author B�rbel H�nisch, a paleoceanographer at Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory.

You can read much more detail about this research from the NSF article.

AccuWeather.com - Climate Change | Oceans Acidifying faster Now than Past 300 Million Years

La Nina Vs. El Nino

By Eric Reese, Meteorologist

Oct 17, 2010; 3:15 AM ET

Sea surface temperatures play a major role in global weather and nowhere is that more evident then in El Nino and La Nina patterns. These type of patterns often lead to weather extremes, some of which can be seen in our own backyards. Sea surface temperatures indicate that we'll have a La Nina this winter, which could mean a season of weather extremes across parts of the United States.
What is La Nina and El Nino?
La Nina is described as cooler-than-normal sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean, near the equator off the west coast of South America. El Nino is like La Nina's brother, the totally opposite and attention grabbing brother. This is described as warmer-than-normal sea surface temperatures in the same area of the Pacific Ocean.

What Causes La Nina and El Nino?
Simply put, easterly trade winds over the equatorial Pacific Ocean are partly to blame for both phenomenon. For La Nina, the easterly trade winds strengthen. This blows more warm water west, and allows cold water below the ocean's surface to push towards the top near the South American coast to replace the warm water.
In an El Nino, the opposite occurs. The easterly trade winds become weaker, and can even reverse direction. The warm Pacific Ocean becomes nearly stationary or pushes eastward and gains heat. Besides affecting weather, El Nino has also been known to hurt fishing off the coast of Peru.
What Does All of This Mean for the Weather?
We're already seeing affects of the building La Nina. A typical La Nina winter will feature drier and milder conditions across the South, much like what we're seeing in the current Southeast drought and elevated fire conditions. The Pacific Northwest will become wetter than normal, while the Northeast will have cold periods, but these are usually short lived. You can read AccuWeather's 2010-2011 Winter Forecast by Chief Long Range Meteorologist Joe Bastardi here.

In an El Nino winter, we see what we had last season. The southern branch of the jet stream gets displaced across the Deep south, leading to wetter conditions from Los Angeles to the Southeast. The Northeast typically has stormy winters, which in the case of last season led to "Snowmageddon." Finally the Northwest is typically milder.

In other parts of world, La Nina and El Nino can affect Asia's Monsoon's and rainfall from Australia to Peru.
How Long Will This All Last?
Typically a La Nina lasts 9 to 12 months, while an El Nino will last roughly a year. As for this year's La Nina, forecast models are indicating slight strengthening through October and then a steady period in November and December. All of the models have the La Nina weakening throughout the spring and early summer.
Related to the Story:
Forecast Weather Maps
2010 Hurricane Center
Visit our Facebook Fan Page
Follow us on Twitter Breaking Weather
Brett Anderson's Update On La Nina
Joe Bastardi's 2010-2011 Winter Forecast

La Nina Vs. El Nino

The Nature of Lake-Effect Snow and Flurries

By Alex Sosnowski, Expert Senior Meteorologist

Dec 2, 2010; 11:14 AM ET

Lake-effect events can unload a great deal of snow in a hurry on unsuspecting areas downwind during a cold air outbreak. Similarly, flurries can pull a sneak attack well away from the Great Lakes.

Seasoned residents around the Great Lakes know all too well about the nature of lake-effect snow.

Expert Senior Meteorologist and snow-chaser Dale Mohler commented, "It is not uncommon to be driving along downwind of the lake shore in clear conditions, then minutes later, a few snowflakes can suddenly turn into a raging blizzard and snow-covered roads."

"While the snow bands tend to lose intensity after a couple dozen miles away from the lake, they can still bring surprise, sudden snowfall well inland," Mohler added.

The bands of snow can extend 100 miles or more inland during the right conditions.

Hilly areas, such as in the Appalachians, often enhance the snow.

People often comment, "Where did this come from? You guys were not forecasting this!"

Such is the challenge of pinpointing shifting lake-effect snow and pop-up flurries during a cold air outbreak in the Northeast.

In the case of lake-effect snow and flurries, the lake water adds moisture and warmth to the air, making it unstable.

The result is often "streets" of snow (lake-effect) originating from the lakes.

Sometimes, break-off flurries and heavier snow squalls can occur well away from the lakes in the Appalachians.

While bands of lake-effect snow tend to line up with the wind, flurries and snow squalls can show up out of nowhere many miles away from the Great Lakes.

The snow squalls are the winter cousins to summertime thunderstorms, while flurries would be similar to summertime showers.

Snow squalls and flurries can hit one part of a town and not the other, just like a summertime downpour. They can bring gusty winds and low visibility for a time.

Unfortunately in the winter, paved and concrete surfaces can become snow covered and even icy in a matter of seconds.

Such phenomena have contributed to multiple vehicle accidents on highways in the region more than once, such as on Interstate 80 in Pennsylvania.

Incidents of this sort have been investigated in great detail by AccuWeather.com's forensic meteorologists.

The Nature of Lake-Effect Snow and Flurries

How the Heck Can Meteorologists Predict a Winter?

The full AccuWeather.com Winter 2011-2012 Forecast displays a larger version of this map.

By Heather Buchman, Meteorologist

Oct 31, 2011; 4:12 PM ET

When AccuWeather.com released its 2011-2012 Winter Forecast, people asked how meteorologists can predict the weather so far out in advance. What are these long-range forecasts based on?
A great deal of research that goes into it.
Paul Pastelok, AccuWeather.com Expert Long-Range Meteorologist and leader of the Long-Range Forecasting Team, explained that the team looks at current trends, especially with Pacific Ocean temperatures (La Niña/El Niño), and looks for past years in which similar trends occurred.
Meteorologists call these years "analog years."
"We look at past La Niña and El Niño seasons, looking at the strength and trend of those El Niños or La Niñas," explained Pastelok. "We also look at the strength of the PDO (Pacific Decadal Oscillation Index) and what is going on currently with weather trends. Then we find past years that were very similar and look at those seasons more in depth."
A La Niña occurs when sea surface temperatures across the equatorial central and eastern Pacific are below normal. El Niño occurs when these sea surface temperatures are above normal. The greater these temperatures depart from normal, the stronger the La Niña or El Niño.


Both phenomena have a significant influence on the jet stream and overall weather patterns across the globe. While no two El Niños or La Niñas are exactly the same, general trends have been observed in the influence they have on the weather in the U.S. and elsewhere throughout the world.
Currently, we are in a weak La Niña and trending toward a moderate La Niña for this winter.
Throughout the past, there have been years in which there were similar trends with La Niña. The Long-Range Forecasting Team has highlighted 10 past seasons that match most closely to what has happened so far this year and have most significantly influenced what the team expects to happen this winter season.
Of those 10 previous years, the team expects this winter to be most similar to the winter of 2008-2009.
"From a really bad severe weather season in the spring to a record hot summer on the southern Plains to the way the tropics have been behaving this hurricane season... and Pacific Ocean temperature trends from the spring up until now... 2008-2009 fits best with this year," Pastelok said.
He added, "No year is ever the same, but you can get the general trends and patterns."
The accuracy of the long-range forecasts can be measured. We can see if temperatures were in fact above or below normal and whether precipitation and snowfall were above or below normal. General trends can be verified.
However, when it comes down to it, how the winter was perceived often carries more weight than the numbers.
"It's so difficult because it boils down to perceptions," said AccuWeather.com Expert Senior Meteorologist Bob Larson. "You can predict a milder-than-average winter with less snow than average and have it verify. But if you have a big Thanksgiving snowstorm, a Christmas blizzard and a New Year's Eve ice storm, that's what people remember. They remember those big storms, not the weather in between, and think it was a terrible winter. Their minds drift to memorable events."
 

How the Heck Can Meteorologists Predict a Winter?

Kocet's Corner: The Great Blizzard of 1888

By John Kocet, Senior Meteorologist

Mar 11, 2011; 4:00 PM ET

In March 1888, one of the worst blizzards in the memory of man dealt a devastating blow to the Northeast.

What made this storm quite unusual is that many areas had rain before any snow fell.

A synoptic weather map of March 12th shows the storm centered south of New England with a cold front extending from the storm center due north through eastern Connecticut and Massachusetts. West of that line, the storm was all snow; to the east, it was still raining.

Hardest hit were New England and the eastern flank of New York. Snowfall was crippling, reaching 50 inches in some locations.

The storm generated winds to hurricane force that blew the snow into drifts that were two stories high. Entire trains were stranded in some of these mountainous drifts.

The huge tally of snow fell as a vast amount of ocean moisture was catapulted westward over much colder air that covered the interior. In addition, the storm made a complete loop south of New England, giving it two whole days to wreak havoc.

Over the years that have passed, many storms have come and gone, but none has achieved such long-lasting fame as the Great Blizzard of 1888.

There was another severe blizzard in 1888 which has gotten less recognition, probably because it hit the less populated Great Plains. The so-called Schoolhouse Blizzard took the lives of over 200 people, many of whom were school children that got caught out in the elements.

Kocet's Corner: The Great Blizzard of 1888

October Snowstorm for Northeast to Go Down in Record Books

By Meghan Evans, Meteorologist

Oct 31, 2011; 10:20 AM ET

A historic October snowstorm struck the Northeast this past weekend with record-smashing snowfall, knocking out power to millions, snarling travel and causing school cancellations.

The storm was a classic nor'easter churning up the Atlantic Seaboard and pulling in moisture from the ocean, dropping snow from the Virginias and Maryland to Maine.

Cold enough air was pulled into the storm from the northwest to support snow. With the rapid strengthening of the storm, there was also a ton of rising motion and resultant cooling of air that helped further support the very early season snowfall.

More than a foot of snow thumped across northeastern Pennsylvania, southern New York, northwestern New Jersey, western and northern Connecticut, western and central Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire.

Some of the highest elevations of western Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire were buried by more than 2 feet of snow as the storm intensified off the Northeast Coast late on Saturday and Saturday night.

Some of the heaviest snow totals include: Peru, Mass., 32.0 inches; Jaffrey, N.H., 31.4 inches; Plainfield, Mass., 30.8 inches; Chesterfield, Mass., 28.0 inches.

RELATED: Record Snow Amounts Smashed in the Northeast

The weight of the heavy, wet snow on leaf-bearing trees caused significant damage. Some trees came crashing down onto homes and cars with many falling onto power lines.

 

A tree split then crashed down, causing damage to two or three homes in Berks County, Pa. Photo submitted by AccuWeather.com Facebook Fan Steve K. For more photos of the Northeast snowstorm, click here.

High winds also walloped New England as the storm raced away on Sunday, adding to the stress on trees and power lines. The highest gusts topped 60 mph along the New England Coast.

An 84-year-old man died when a tree smashed into his house in Berks County, Pa., where he was resting on a recliner. Another 20-year-old man was electrocuted by live wires that were downed by snow in the Springfield, Mass., area.

A child was injured by a fallen tree branch in Roseland, N.J., on Sunday.

The Associated Press reports that the total number of power outages from the storm is more than 3 million. Thousands will be without power for days, dealing with chilly weather gripping the Northeast in the wake of the storm.

According to the AP, at least four hospitals in Connecticut were relying on generators for power on Sunday.

During the height of the storm, several accidents resulted from poor roadway conditions and low visibility, including a pile-up crash along I-80 in Greene Township, Pa., on Saturday.

Even after the snow was finished, black ice led to treacherous travel across portions of the mid-Atlantic early on Sunday. Icy conditions were blamed for a deadly multiple-vehicle accident along I-95 north of Philadelphia.

Flights were delayed at the major Northeast airports from Philadelphia to Boston and Portland as the storm slammed the region. At one point, flights were delayed by more than five hours at the JFK International Airport in New York City.

While many kids may have enjoyed the early snow, many may not have liked it messing with trick-or-treating plans for Halloween.

Many schools from New Jersey through New England have delayed opening or are closed early this week.

October Snowstorm for Northeast to Go Down in Record Books

Sixteen Years Since 1996's Epic Blizzard

By Grace Muller, AccuWeather.com Staff Writer

Jan 7, 2012; 7:55 AM ET

In January 1996, a powerful nor'easter produced heavy to excessive snowfall from Virginia to New England. Some areas got up to 4 feet. The main fuel for the storm was a large temperature difference between very cold air across the continent and mild air over the western Atlantic. The result was a massive and very slow-moving extratropical cyclone that took nearly three days to clear the Eastern Seaboard. In addition to very heavy, and in some cases record, snowfall, strong winds created blizzard conditions.

Pictures from the Blizzard

"

Man stuck in snow at a bus stop" by Danny Daly

"

who is hiding in the snow pile" by Flickr user bnilsen

"

shoveling snow off second story" by Flickr user bnilsen

"

Right after the blizzard of 1996 in Philadelphia. Me starting the massive shoveling process of 32 inches of snow. Nice visit to Philadelphia!" by Bob Batchelor

"

Snow on the deck in the Columbia, Maryland, townhouse" by Jeff Kubina

Sixteen Years Since 1996's Epic Blizzard

Locally Strong Storms in the South This Evening

By Alex Sosnowski, Expert Senior Meteorologist

Mar 16, 2012; 4:12 PM ET

A few strong thunderstorms will affect portions of Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Alabama and Tennessee this evening.

While most of these storms will not be severe, a few can bring hail, urban flooding, frequent lightning strikes and strong gusty winds.

Since the storms are mostly being driven by the heating of from the day, the activity will decrease in coverage and intensity overnight.

Folks planning on being outdoors or on the road this evening should keep alert for rapidly changing weather conditions.

A few locally strong thunderstorms can affect part of the same area and others over the South during Saturday.

Locally Strong Storms in the South This Evening

AccuWeather.com - Joe Lundberg | The Big Picture Is Very Warm

Mar 16, 2012; 10:10 AM ET

Friday, 11:25 a.m.

Another batch of record high temperatures fell by the proverbial wayside on Thursday, and a lot more will be wiped out today. And tomorrow. And Sunday. And Monday. And Tuesday. And Wednesday. And probably longer. I have never in all my years of forecasting the weather seen a run of warmth this strong for this long. Not even close! It is a pattern like this that makes me wonder if there is something to be said with regard to global warming. But that's a subject for another time and another place.

In the coming days, though, this upper-level ridge and way-to-the-north jet stream will actually grow STRONGER. Take a look at the current jet stream across the country:

Compare that to the averages:

Now look at the upper-level pattern for Monday:

You're essentially taking the air that's already warm in the Plains and Mississippi Valley and expanding it northward to cover all of Ontario. From there, it's free to flow eastward through Quebec and across the Great Lakes. All you'll need to get that warmth all the way to the East Coast, particularly the New England Coast, is a strong enough west wind to shove out all of the marine air that's in place now. I believe it will turn warmer in these areas this weekend, but that the best chance of getting 70s (80?) to eastern New England will be Wednesday and Thursday, when high pressure should be sitting south of New England and in prime position to produce those westerly breezes.

Between now and then, areas east of the mountains, and especially across the eastern New England Coast, the southern New England coast, Long Island and the coastal mid-Atlantic region, will be influenced or impacted by this marine air, such as what cooled Philadelphia to the 50s on Thursday, while in the Susquehanna Valley, it reached the middle and upper 70s!

Over the weekend, the air won't be as cool as it was coming down along the East coast yesterday. Nevertheless, temperatures won't nearly as far above average in many of these aforementioned areas as they will be across northern and far western New England and especially upstate New York on west.

In addition to the concerns over specific temperature forecasts, there will be these little upper-level disturbances that will cause some mischief, such as the one crossing the Appalachians now. It helped trigger a few severe thunderstorms yesterday, including a few rare March tornadoes in Michigan! Another similar feature will roll through the Ohio Valley tomorrow night and into the central Appalachians Sunday, promoting more clouds and a few showers, even some thunderstorms.

As the bigger feature rolls out of the southern Rockies to begin next week, it will generate a much larger area of strong thunderstorms that could turn very nasty Monday and Monday night into Tuesday from Texas into Oklahoma and Kansas.

Aside from those things, however, the big picture is, and will remain, very warm for March for the next week or more.

AccuWeather.com - Joe Lundberg | The Big Picture Is Very Warm

Wild Wild West St. Patrick's Day Storm

L.A., San Diego and other cities in California may look like this for a time this weekend. Rain will just be but part of the wild and wide-ranging storm.
Photo of California rain by Flickr user Steph[anie]

By Alex Sosnowski, Expert Senior Meteorologist

Mar 16, 2012; 5:19 AM ET

A dynamic storm in Southern California and the Southwest will yield a pot of gold in terms of moisture this St. Patrick's Day weekend, however it will also cause big problems.

A storm with the potential to cause damage and major disruptions to travel is forecast to plow onshore in California this weekend.

While the storm will deliver a substantial amount of rain and snow to the region that is greatly needed, it will bring high winds, blowing dust, thunderstorms, chilly air and rough surf and seas. The storm may also bring flash flooding, power outages and a rash of motor vehicle accidents.

One or more rounds of drenching rain will swing in from the Pacific Ocean this weekend, hitting northern California first, then spreading into Southern California and northern Nevada Saturday into Saturday night. In Arizona and southern Nevada, the rain will hit late Saturday into Sunday. The storm will focus on New Mexico and Colorado late in the weekend.

RELATED:
Expert Senior Meteorologist Ken Clark's Western Weather Blog

Strong winds will precede, accompany and follow the storm. The winds will hit areas that are not typically affected by a Santa Ana. Gusts can be high enough, topping 65 mph in some locations, to knock down tree limbs and power lines, as well as roll over high-profile vehicles and kick up blinding dust in desert areas. Over the ocean, the winds will generate big waves that will crash ashore.

As colder air sweeps in with the storm, snow will lower to pass levels from California to Arizona and eventually into Utah, Colorado and perhaps New Mexico. Enough snow could fall to temporarily close the major arteries of I-5, I-15, I-17 and I-40. The snow will hit I-80 and Donner Pass first.

Problems on the roadways will not be limited to snow in the higher elevations. There is a risk of blinding, blowing dust in the desert areas, prior to when showers skip through including I-8 and I-10.

Enough rain can fall on the hillsides and canyon areas to cause flash flooding and mudslides. Flooding is possible on portions of roadways.

The storm can also pack locally severe thunderstorms capable of producing hail and frequent lightning strikes.

While the storm will cause plenty of major problems for the region, including wind challenges for runners in the Los Angeles Marathon, and foiled weekend plans for others, it will dump heavy snow on the mountains in the region.

A lack of snow in the area mountains and drought in general this winter goes without saying.

This storm has the potential to put down a yard or more of snow in the high country and will give the late-season skiing industry a big boost.

Snow will reach the higher elevations in Arizona, including the Grand Canyon later this weekend. Snowflakes could mix down to Las Vegas, Nev. as well.

The storm will eventually give reservoirs and area lakes and streams a lift as the snow melts off in the weeks ahead.

The rain will also be of great benefit for agriculture.

During the first part of next week the storm system will bring the risk of severe weather, high winds and wildfire danger to western and northern Texas and the southern Plains. Similar to the situation in the Southwest, the storm will also bring an opportunity for some needed rain in the South Central states.

Wild Wild West St. Patrick's Day Storm

Plains Violent Storm, Tornado Threat Begins Sunday

By Alex Sosnowski, Expert Senior Meteorologist

Mar 16, 2012; 12:20 PM ET

As the St. Patrick's Day Storm pushes slowly inland from the West, there is the potential for an outbreak of violent thunderstorms and tornadoes over the Plains starting on Sunday.

Essentially two seasons will do battle over the Plains during the first part of next week: summer and winter.

As colder air tries to push out of the Rockies, it will cause warm, moist air to rise violently and will be given extra energy by a strong jet stream overhead.

While the actual magnitude of the outbreak has yet to be determined, indications are that there is an elevated risk of tornadoes.

During Sunday, the risk extends from portions of western Texas to the Dakotas.

During Monday, the risk extends from central, northeastern and South Texas to Missouri.

The potential for severe thunderstorms (including tornadoes) will extend beyond Monday and will push farther east as next week progresses.

RELATED:

Are Tornadoes More Powerful Due to Climate Change?

Can You Really Hide from a Tornado?

In addition to the tornado threat, severe thunderstorms will bring the whole nine yards of danger with large hail, damaging wind gusts, frequent lightning and flash flooding.

Prior to the risk next week, there will be a few pockets of locally strong, drenching thunderstorms over the Mississippi and Tennessee valleys, western Texas and the Southeast through Saturday as the May-like pattern continues.

In addition, the St. Patrick's Day storm will bring locally severe thunderstorms over portions of California and the Southwest over this weekend.

Plains Violent Storm, Tornado Threat Begins Sunday

Unusual Warmth Sets Stage for Rare Michigan Tornadoes

This is a still image from a video recorded at Hudson Mills Metro Park in Dexter about 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 15, 2012 by Matthew Altruda from Tree Town Sound on Ann Arbor's 107.1 FM.

By Meghan Evans, Meteorologist

Mar 16, 2012; 12:12 PM ET

Unusual warmth surging across the eastern two-thirds of the nation this March is responsible for rare tornadoes that struck southeastern Michigan on Thursday.
May-like warmth has been gripping much of the Midwest and East this month with more than 1,000 record high temperatures falling this week alone in the U.S. So far this March, the average temperature in Detroit, Mich., is nearly 11 degrees above normal.
On Thursday, temperatures soared well into the upper 70s across southern Michigan, more than 30 degrees above normal for the date. The warm, moist air in place on Thursday helped to fuel thunderstorms capable of spawning tornadoes.
One tornado touched down 3 miles south of Columbiaville, Mich., late Thursday, causing damage to trees and power lines. The twister left behind a trail of twisted debris in a mile-long path.
RELATED:
Live Blog: Three Tornado Strike Southeastern Michigan
Are Tornadoes More Powerful Due to Climate Change?

Farther south, a tornado caused extensive damage near Dexter, Mich. The tornado damaged more than 100 homes with more than a dozen severely damaged. Scores of trees and power lines were toppled in the tornado's path.
Patti Vanriper, employee of La Fontaine Chevrolet in Dexter, Mich., described the scene as "horrifying."
"There are roofs torn off houses, and debris is blown all over. It's really scary," said Vanriper to AccuWeather.com's John Marsh late on Thursday.
Numerous reports of tornadoes also came in from near Ida, Mich., late Thursday.
"A tornado near Detroit is about as rare of an event as you can get in March," according to AccuWeather.com Expert Senior Meteorologist Henry Margusity.
Before the tornadoes struck southeastern Michigan on Thursday, March 15, 2012, there have only been 10 other tornadoes in recorded history to touch down in southeastern Michigan before April 1. Tornado statistics for the region date back to 1950.
The 10th tornado on that list includes a twister that struck Coleman, Mich., on March 12, 2012.
The typical peak in tornado occurrence for Michigan is May into June when warmer, more humid air arrives farther north across the U.S.

Unusual Warmth Sets Stage for Rare Michigan Tornadoes

More Than 1,200 Record Highs Set This Week in U.S.

By Meghan Evans, Meteorologist

Mar 16, 2012; 12:08 PM ET 

More than 1,200 record high temperatures have been set over the past week across the U.S., and nearly 6,000 record highs have been recorded since the beginning of 2012.

From March 8-14, 2012, the total number of records is 1,226, according to the National Climatic Data Center.

 On Wednesday, Mar. 14, 2012 alone, 423 records were set.

This map from NCDC shows the total number of record highs for March 2012 so far. Through March 14, 2012, the total is 1,641 record highs.

From the beginning of the year (Jan. 1-March 12, 2012), there has been a total of 5,618 record highs. In comparison, Jan. 1-March 31, 2011, there were only 2,800 record highs recorded.

"The jet stream has been flung all the way north across central and eastern Canada," AccuWeather.com Expert Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski said, when explaining why warmth has been so widespread this March.

"At least two-thirds of the nation could wind up with above-normal temperatures [this spring]," Paul Pastelok, expert long-range meteorologist and leader of the AccuWeather.com Long-Range Forecasting Team, said late in February. He forecast that there could be the most widespread warmth this spring since 2004.

RELATED: AccuWeather.com Spring 2012 Forecast

The warmth and humidity have been fueling an active start to the severe weather season, including rare tornadoes as far north as southern Michigan.

More Than 1,200 Record Highs Set This Week in U.S.

Low Snow Equals Low Flood Risk NOAA Says

By Alex Sosnowski, Expert Senior Meteorologist

Mar 16, 2012; 11:00 AM ET

A lack of snowcover is the major contributor to low spring river flood risk for much of the nation according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Spring snowmelt is traditionally a major player in spring flood potential for northern river systems, including the Connecticut, Delaware, Ohio, Missouri, Mississippi and Susquehanna rivers as well as the Red River of the North.

Unusual and extensive warmth over much of the nation this winter translated to a lack of snowcover at this critical stage of the season.

Snowcover which lays around for weeks and months during the winter tends to accumulate moisture. This moisture is then released in the spring and is a major catalyst for river flooding, especially when combined with a sudden thaw and/or heavy rain.

The lack of prolonged cold weather has resulted in little or no ice formation. As a result, the risk of ice-jam flooding is also low in most areas.

Stream and river flows over much of the nation are currently near or below normal, which is another strike against spring flooding.

Even in the Upper Midwest and northern Plains, which have been hammered by major flooding in recent years, the risk is below normal.

Excessive Rainfall Always a Wild Card

Heavy rainfall can occur just about anywhere during the spring. It is a time of year when weather systems overall are rather strong and there is typically an increasing supply of moisture from the Atlantic, Pacific and the Gulf of Mexico as these water bodies slowly warm.

There are a few areas in particular to keep an eye on.

The NOAA outlined a couple of locations they are concerned with.

The Ohio and lower Mississippi river basins have received above-normal rainfall in recent weeks. Portions of these areas will likely continue to experience above-normal rainfall into the spring.

Since there is little or no snowmelt feeding these rivers in upstream locations, if there is river flooding in these locations, it should not equal the magnitude of last year.

Isolated areas of flash flooding are always a concern entering into the thunderstorm season during the spring and fall. And, it seems the warmth has brought on an early start to strong and drenching thunderstorms this year.

The ground in portions of Kentucky, Tennessee, Ohio and West Virginia are saturated. Slow-moving, drenching thunderstorms with the potential for flash flooding will continue to affect these areas through this weekend.

While the Northwest has received below-average snow and rain this winter, recent moisture-rich storms combined with the potential for additional storms of the same caliber in the coming weeks can drive up river levels and lead to flash flooding of smaller streams.

The St. Patrick's Day Storm will raise the risk of flash flooding in the West (including Southern California).

Mike Smith, Sr. Vice President and Chief Innovation Executive of AccuWeather Enterprise Solutions, has a concern for portions of the central and southern Plains for the week of March 19-25.

Smith in his blog states that recent bouts of heavy rain in the south-central U.S. and the potential for heavy rain next week in much of the same area could drive flooding problems in the region.

Smith believes the area of concern in the short term extends westward and includes not only the lower Mississippi Valley, but also part of the central and southern Plains to eastern Texas.

The St. Patrick's Day Storm hitting the West this weekend will be a slow-mover over the Central states next week with the risk of severe thunderstorms, tornadoes and flooding.

 

Low Snow Equals Low Flood Risk NOAA Says

Luck Not on Ireland's Side for Nice St. Patty's Day Weather

Photo of rain in Ireland by Brian Clayton/Flickr.

By Kristina Pydynowski, Senior Meteorologist

Mar 16, 2012; 10:44 AM ET

Anyone celebrating St. Patrick's Day in Ireland will have to add green umbrellas to their attire.

Numerous showers set to stream across Ireland on Saturday will prevent nice weather from complementing the nation's festive mood.

While the showers are not expected to unleash flooding downpours, any rain threatens to put a damper on outdoor activities scheduled for the holiday.

In addition to umbrellas, revelers should grab a jacket before heading out to celebrate.

Saturday's temperatures throughout Ireland will be held to the 40s (F, 4 to 9 degrees C), which is a bit cool for this time of year. Dublin, Ireland's capital, can anticipate a high of 46 degrees (F, 8 degrees C).

Dublin is once again hosting the highly-popular St. Patrick's Festival, which started today and runs until Monday.

The good news is that better weather awaits the second half of the festival.

Just one or two showers will linger into Sunday with dry weather and milder temperatures to follow for Monday.

Luck Not on Ireland's Side for Nice St. Patty's Day Weather

St. Patrick's Day Hurricane Threat for Australia

This satellite image from the Joint Typhoon Warning Center captured Tropical Cyclone Lua midday Friday (local time).

By Kristina Pydynowski, Senior Meteorologist

Mar 16, 2012; 10:02 AM ET 

St. Patrick Day's will be far from festive in North West Australia with hurricane-strength Tropical Cyclone Lua set to slam onshore.

Friday evening (local time, Friday morning EDT), Lua was churning off the coast of Australia with the strength of a Category 1 hurricane.

The warm waters of the Indian Ocean will help Lua's strength increase to that of a strong Category 2 hurricane with maximum sustained winds between 100 and 110 mph (160 and 175 kph) prior to the cyclone's St. Patrick's Day landfall.

The AccuWeather.com Hurricane Center has pinpointed Lua's landfall to midday Saturday (local time) near or just east of Port Hedland.

Destructive winds, flooding rain and inundating surf will accompany the cyclone onshore.

"Winds will diminish [Saturday night, local time] as Lua continues to move south across Western Australia. However, very heavy rainfall will continue along the path of the storm," stated AccuWeather.com Senior Meteorologist Tony Zartman.

"Rainfall amounts along Lua's path will reach 5 to 10 inches (12 to 25 cm) through the weekend, resulting in flash flooding," Zartman continued.

Even though Lua has yet to make landfall, it is already having an economical impact on Australia.

Bloomberg reports that the cyclone has forced companies to halt production at offshore oil fields that account for more than one-quarter of Australia's oil output.

Shipping of iron ore has been interrupted with the closure of Port Hedland in anticipation of Lua.

Lua is not the only adverse weather threatening Australia this St. Patrick's Day.

Zartman is concerned that an area of disturbed weather will unleash locally heavy rainfall across northern parts of the Northern Territory into northern Queensland through the weekend with the Cape York Peninsula especially at risk.

However, a twin of Tropical Cyclone Lua will not form from this disturbed weather. Tropical development, if any, will be slow due to the disturbed weather's proximity to land.

St. Patrick's Day Hurricane Threat for Australia

Strong Storms Aim For Western Texas and Oklahoma

By Matt Alto, Meteorologist

Mar 16, 2012; 6:20 AM ET

With record-challenging warmth sprawled across much of the eastern half of the nation, moisture in combination with an upper-air disturbance moving northeast across the southern Plains will bring the risk for strong thunderstorms to portions of the region today.

Although the day will start out looking non-threatening as periods of clouds and sunshine fill the skies across the region, conditions will quickly turn stormy heading into the late afternoon and evening hours.

Widely scattered and isolated storms will develop in the warm and moist air mass over the region as temperatures across the region rise to the upper 70s to lower 80s due to the daytime heating from the sun. It is this heating that will act as the fuel for these storms as they develop during the late afternoon hours.

The widely scattered nature of the storms may allow many locations to remain dry throughout the course of the day and not experience any thunderstorm activity.

AccuWeather.com meteorologists expect many of these storms to become severe late this afternoon and evening and have pinpointed an area from extreme southwestern Kansas through western Oklahoma and western Texas that will be under the gun.

Cities within this area included Amarillo, Lubbock and Abilene, Texas, as well as Lawton and locations to the west of Oklahoma City, Okla.

The main threats expected from these storms will be large hail, damaging winds greater than 50 mph and frequent cloud to ground lightning.

These storms may also produce periods of heavy rain that could reduce visibility for motorists.

Although the atmospheric conditions are not favorable for tornadoes, it is not completely out of the realm of possibility that a few could develop.

Scattered showers and thunderstorms will continue into the night, but these strong storms will lose their punch and quickly weaken as they track to the east into central Texas and Oklahoma.

After a brief break from the strong storms on Saturday, many of the same locations could see another round of severe weather heading toward the end of the weekend and into early next week.

More Strong Storms on the Way Early Next Week

The Wild Wild West St. Patrick's Day Storm will become the next player in the severe weather sweepstakes across the central Plains early next week.

According to Expert Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski, "the storm system will bring the risk of severe weather, high winds, and wildfire danger to western and northern Texas and the southern Plains."

As the storm system moves out of the Rockies and into the High Plains, thunderstorms will fire during the afternoon and will quickly organize and become severe as they track eastward through the overnight hours.

Again, large hail and damaging winds will be the main threats from these storms. Areas that will likely be threatened include an area that spreads from western Texas through central Kansas and Nebraska.

The focus of the severe weather Monday looks to be over the eastern half of the southern Plains.

Keep checking back with AccuWeather.com over the come days as we detail this severe weather potential across the Plains early next week.

Strong Storms Aim For Western Texas and Oklahoma

Severe Weather from Michigan to Tennessee

Video still courtesy of YouTube user Tree Town Sound.

Mar 15, 2012; 9:42 PM ET

Severe weather is erupting from Michigan to Tennessee tonight bringing hail, damaging wind gusts and even tornadoes.

A reported tornado touched down, damaging trees, power lines and a shed 2 miles northeast of Dexter, Mich. Another reported tornado touched down just 2 miles from Ida, Mich. There have been numerous reports of a third tornado 3 miles south of Columbiaville, Mich.

Patti Vanriper, employee of La Fontaine Chevrolet in Dexter, Mi., described the scene as "horrifying," "I have debris on my car. I think it's insulation. There are roofs torn off houses, and debris is blown all over. It's really 

scary," said Vanriper.

 

 Photo courtesy of Patti Vanriper, employee of LaFontaine Chevrolet in Dexter, Mi.

"We'll see the severe weather threat it transition into more of just a threat for heavy rains where the remnant storms go," AccuWeather.com Meteorologist Brian Edwards said." The Ohio Valley and the Tennessee Valley should transition into a heavy rain and maybe some thunder overnight. Farther east into western and central New York and Pennsylvania could see some of these storms reach them late tonight. Those should probably just be rain and again, maybe some thunder."

A Tru-Seal factory roof has collapsed due to heavy rain. Three injuries have been reported. All personnel are accounted for.

A person was struck by lightning in Hartselle, Al. The extent of their injury is unknown at this point.

Hail reports have come in from Missouri, Alabama, Michigan, Indiana, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Ohio and Tennessee. There have been nearly 200 hail reports in total.

Baseball-sized hail (2.75 inches) fell on Carrollton, Illinois.

Flash flooding has caused a mudslide between Great Crossing and the Franklin County Line in Georgetown, Ky. Red Lick Road near Locust Branch, Ky., was covered by a foot and a half of flowing water.

Trees have been blown down in multiple counties across Kentucky.

Winds gusted to 70 mph near Davison, Mi. Down in the South, winds gusted to 71 mph in Huntsville, Al.

These raw videos show the aftermath of the tornado that ripped through Dexter, Mi.

 

Severe Weather from Michigan to Tennessee