Santa walking around New York City on Dec. 23. Photo: Noam Galai/Getty Images
A severe storm struck the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast with heavy rains, flooding and high winds on Thursday, disrupting travel and last minute shopping and causing hazardous road conditions.
Why it matters: The storm, which is expected to continue through Christmas Day, comes roughly a week after a massive snowstorm pummeled the region, killing three people and leaving millions under winter weather alerts.
The big picture: The storm has already dumped more than eight inches of snow over Minneapolis and led police to respond to over 250 crashes or calls for help in Nebraska, The New York Times reports.
- Forecasters have issued warnings of high winds, heavy snow, flooding and even tornadoes from the mid-Atlantic to southern New England, including New York City and Boston.
- The combination of rainfall and existing snow cover could trigger flooding in urban and poor drainage areas. The National Weather Service warned local residents to expect "widespread power outages."
- Wind gusts are forecast to reach between 50 and 60 mph, AccuWeather meteorologist Alex DeSilva said.
Editor's note: Updates with information on the Midwest.