Millions of people are under a tornado watch in the Upper Midwest and Plains after a massive fatal storm flooded California.
Areas in of Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas have received their first tornado warning of 2023 that is in effect until 3am CST on Tuesday. Meanwhile, the warning has also extended to parts of Mississippi and Tennessee until 4am CST.
Jessieville in Arkansas was hit by a tornado late Sunday afternoon leaving 14 homes, three buildings and up to seven buildings at a local school district damaged. It is unclear if any injuries occurred.
Tornados aren’t the only threat to the area this week as the National Weather Service warned about heavy snows, freezing rains, and gusty winds until Wednesday.
Experts urged anyone in the tornado warning areas to seek shelter immediately rather than wait until the threat appears.
‘If you wait around for a warning to be issued, it is too late,’ Brad Bryant, a meteorologist at NWS told CNN. ‘You need to have a safe shelter plan in place in advance of these storms.’
Millions are under tornado watch as a storm threatens the Midwest and Plains. The threat is in effect in Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana and Oklahoma until Tuesday
While the tornado warning is set to expire early Tuesday. Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana may experience strong and damaging winds leading into the afternoon.
The current storm warning threatens about 30 million people as the Mid-South and Mississippi Valley who are at risk for two to four inches of rain and flash flooding until Tuesday.
The National Weather service warned that travel may be impacted until the storm subsides on Wednesday.
Parts of Nebraska, Minnesota and South Dakota are expected to receive up to 3 inches of snow per hour through Tuesday.
As the National Weather Service warned on Twitter: ‘A winter storm will move from the Four Corners tonight across the central Plains and Upper Midwest Monday and Tuesday with areas of heavy snow, sleet and freezing rain.
Arkansas was hit with a tornado that damaged several homes and a local school on Sunday. The storm appeared to have damaged lights on a football stadium
Damage was seen in multiple areas around Jessieville in Arkansas
Areas in of Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas have received their first tornado warning of 2023 that is in effect until 3am CST on Tuesday
The warning has also extended to parts of Mississippi and Tennessee until 4am CST
The threat is in effect in Oklahoma until 9pm CST but was extended in Arkansas, Texas and Louisiana
The current storm warning threatens about 30 million people as the Mid-South and Mississippi Valley. Parts of Nebraska, Minnesota and South Dakota are expected to receive up to 3 inches of snow per hour through Tuesday
The National Weather Service warned about the conditions leading into this week
Ice up to a quarter inch is also likely in eastern Nebraska and into southern Minnesota.
The weather conditions may lead to dangerous travel, tree damages and power outages.
Meanwhile, more excessive rain might hit California again on Wednesday after the northern part of the state was plummeted with widespread flooding and heavy snowfall over the weekend.
At least three people died from the treacherous conditions, including one person found dead inside a completely submerged car Saturday in Sacramento County and a 72-year-old man who died after being struck by a fallen tree at a Santa Cruz park.
The storm left 300,000 Californians without power on Saturday, but as of Monday that number fell to more than 50,000.
As the storm moves more east, rain and thunderstorms are predicted to hit the coast
Meanwhile, more excessive rain might hit California again on Wednesday after the northern part of the state was plummeted with widespread flooding over the weekend. A car is seen plunged in water in Sacramento
Three vehicles were seen submerged on Highway 99 in south Sacramento County on Sunday
Two other cars were seen submerged in water as power was out in more than 170,000 homes over the weekend
The storm that is now heading toward the south is being attributed to a so-called atmospheric river — a region in the atmosphere that can carry moisture for thousands of miles.
That ‘river’ has already devastated the Sacramento area, where emergency crews spent the weekend rescuing multiple flood victims by boats and helicopter, and responding to calls of fallen trees and disabled vehicles stuck in the flood waters.
An evacuation order was issued on Sunday for the rural Sacramento County areas of Point Pleasant — just one day after rising flood waters forced evacuations in Wilton, California as well as three communities near the city of Watsonville in Santa Cruz County.
A flash flood watch was also in place along and west of Freeway 5 leading to the Sacramento River, where there were already concerns about excessive rainfall and flooding.
A levee was ultimately overtopped and breached by the Cosumnes River on Saturday night due to the heavy rainfall, leaving Wilton underwater. And on Sunday morning, Sacramento County spokesman Matt Robinson said helicopter images showed there was a second levee that was breached.
Residents in areas near Interstate 5 were told to ‘prepare to leave the area now before roadways are cut off to evacuate the area.’
The Sacramento County Office of Emergency Services also urged residents in the rural area to move their livestock to high ground.
Meanwhile, on Highway 99, videos showed cars submerged past their door handles.
The highway was later closed south of Elk Grove in Sacramento County,
Sacramento County officials were ultimately forced to issue a local state of emergency.
Some cars were seen overturned and off the side of the road in Sacramento County
An aerial shot showed flooded areas around homes following the storm on Monday
Buildings were seen flooded after the rainstorm hit Sacramento County
Now, Northern and Central California is at risk again for more heavy rains and flooding beginning on Wednesday and leading in Thursday, according to NWS.
The risk of flooding then leads into Thursday and Friday moving more inland and south of the state.
It is unclear if the excessive rainfall will make a dent in California’s endless drought that is heading into fourth driest years on record.