The National Weather Service reported at least 10 suspected tornadoes, one of which was confirmed Wednesday night.
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A fast-moving storm system dropped both snow and rain over portions of the Midwest on Wednesday, packing strong winds that flipped semitrailers, damaged industrial park buildings and downed power lines in parts of Iowa and Nebraska.
High-wind warnings were issued by the National Weather Service in numerous areas from Minnesota and Iowa eastward to parts of upstate NY. Because of the winds, there are fire concerns.
Showers and thunderstorms blossomed over parts of eastern Nebraska Wednesday morning, with the storm north of Lincoln approaching severe limits.
A tornado watch issued for Cass, Johnson, Nemaha, Otoe, Pawnee and Richardson counties in Nebraska was canceled at 1 p.m.as the tornado threat moved into Iowa. Sustained winds of 30 to 40 miles per hour were expected, with gust up to 55 or even 60 miles per hour.
As the jet stream digs south and amplifies, strong wind fields will work into an environment characterized by warm, unstable air in the low levels of the atmosphere and colder air working in from the northwest, aloft.
“It’s definitely a chance of severe weather, a severe weather risk no doubt worth paying attention to”, Storm Prediction Center forecaster Jared Guyer added. Other cities that could be hit are Memphis, Kansas City, Des Moines, St. Louis, Omaha and Shreveport, La.
From Colorado to OH and Texas to MI, the system has affected more than 36.5 million people. On Wednesday, it lowered to 5 inches in Denver area – accidents on Interstate 25 were reported by the Colorado highway patrol troopers.
It will be windy again Thursday in the Corridor, but with no rain forecast and a high of about 50, KCRG-TV9 meteorologists said.
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The powerful storm is moving west to east, from the Rockies to the Great Lakes, and has already caused enough damage in Nevada to knock out power and force school closures in Reno.
