Deadly storm system brings heavy snow and flooding rains to multiple states
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People make their way through the flooded waters of closed Main Street after severe overnight rain hit Beattyville, Kentucky, on Sunday, Feb. 16. Photo: Brian Simms/Lexington Herald-Leader/Tribune News Service via Getty Images
A massive, severe storm system that's slamming the U.S. Northeast with heavy snow has this weekend triggered flash flood warnings in West Virginia, Virginia, Tennessee and Kentucky, where officials reported at least 11 deaths.
The big picture: The multifaceted storm that began Saturday knocked out power to an estimated half a million customers from Virginia to Mississippi and delayed thousands of flights during the holiday weekend.
- In Atlanta, Georgia, a local fire department official reported a man in his 60s was killed when a tree fell on his home during the storms.
Threat level: President Trump approved an emergency disaster declaration for Kentucky, making funds available in the storm that's impacting towns including Hazard, Ky., which was also affected by 2022's deadly flooding.
- Meanwhile, the storm was bringing powerful and damaging winds to the mid-Atlantic and heavy snow to New England and parts of Ontario and Quebec in Canada.
- Heavy rainfall was expected to continue to bring flash flooding from the mid-Mississippi Valley into the central Appalachians Sunday, per the National Weather Service.
- "Severe thunderstorms may bring damaging winds and tornadoes to parts of the Southeast U.S. this weekend," the NWS warned in a forecast discussion.
Zoom in: Mandatory evacuations were announced in Kentucky and Tennessee, where Obion County Mayor Steve Carr declared an emergency Sunday due to flooding.
- Beshear said at a Sunday morning briefing that a mother and her 7-year-old daughter were among those to die in floodwater-related incidents in Kentucky and he noted in evening social media posts that the state was "still facing dangerous conditions across the state."
By the numbers: In Virginia, where river flooding continued to be a concern, utility tracker poweroutage.us estimated more than 206,000 were without electricity on Sunday evening.
- As of Monday afternoon, more than 34,000 were still without power in Virginia.
- In Pennsylvania, where very strong winds of up to 63 mph were observed in parts of the state, more than 73,000 customers were without power as of Monday.
- In Maryland, where a high wind warning was in effect through 10pm Sunday ET, more than 34,000 customers have no power.
Between the lines: Flooding has gotten increasingly severe in an era of extreme weather, research shows.
- Human-caused climate change is leading to more frequent and intense extreme precipitation events, according to multiple studies.
In photos: Storm system's effects on U.S., Canada
Go deeper: Polar vortex-tied cold outbreak pushes into U.S. from the Arctic
Editor's note: This article has been updated with new details throughout.
