Winter storm to dump more snow across US on Friday; warnings abound
Another winter storm blasted states across the western and central U.S. with heavy snow Friday as parts of Texas and the Northeast contended with persistently high winds.
The National Weather Service issued winter storm warnings in Utah, Wyoming, Colorado, Nebraska and Iowa, which have seen multiple feet of snow fall at high elevations this week.
Weather experts warned snow could make roads slick and reduce visibility, making travel in some areas "very difficult to impossible." Strong winds threatened to knock down tree limbs and disrupt power service, the weather service said.
The storm comes after the Plains and Midwest regions experienced blizzard-like conditions from a massive storm that marched across the country earlier this week, unloading a barrage of dangerous weather and leading to at least five deaths.
Storm marches toward the Appalachian Mountains
Forecasters expect the new storm to drop up to a foot of snow on portions of the Wasatch, Teton and Rocky mountains through Friday before shifting east, bringing snow to the Appalachians on Saturday.
AccuWeather warned the wintry weather could snarl traffic and cause delays at airports, though the storm was not expected to bring significant snowfall to any major cities.
From Maryland to Maine, forecasters issued wind advisories and asked people to move inside any objects that could be blown away by powerful winds. Gusts up to 55 mph were forecast in New York, Connecticut, Vermont and Maine, the weather service said.
What news about our planet means for Americans: Sign up for Paste BN's Climate Point newsletter.
Texas cleans up after tornadoes; major damage reported in Irving
Communities in Texas were still clearing debris Friday from tornadoes that touched down as a colossal winter storm barreled across this country.
Crews with the National Weather Service confirmed at least five tornadoes formed in the state. A tornado tore through the city of Irving, just northwest of Dallas, on Tuesday, damaging a school and partially collapsing an apartment complex. While no injuries or deaths have been reported, the twister reportedly displaced dozens of families.
The tornado had peak winds estimated at 110 mph, according to the National Weather Service office in the Dallas area.
High winds bring elevated fire threat to western Texas
As officials cleaned up debris from the tornadoes, southwest Texas faced an increased threat of wildfires Friday.
Lingering high winds persisted amid drought conditions and relatively low humidity, leading weather officials to issue red flag warnings for multiple counties.
"Avoid the use of open flames or any activities that may generate sparks," warned the weather service office in Midland, Texas. "Accidental ignitions will have the potential to grow into dangerous wind-driven wildfires."