Millions of people are under tornado watching in the upper Midwest and Plains after a massive deadly storm devastated California.
Areas in Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana and Oklahoma received their first tornado warning for 2023 on Monday, which is in effect until 9 p.m. CST.
Jessieville, Arkansas was hit by a tornado late Sunday afternoon, damaging 14 homes, three buildings and up to seven buildings in a local school district. It is unclear whether there were any injuries.
Tornadoes aren’t the only threat to the area this week, as the National Weather Service warned of heavy snow, freezing rain and gusty winds through Wednesday.
Experts urged everyone in the tornado warning areas to take shelter immediately rather than wait for the threat to emerge.
“If you wait for an alert to go out, it’s too late,” Brad Bryant, meteorologist at NWS, told CNN. “You must have a safe shelter plan in place before these storms.”
Millions watched by tornadoes as storm threatens Midwest and Plains The threat applies in Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana and Oklahoma until 9 p.m. CST. But thunderstorms are possible until Tuesday
While the tornado warning is in place through Monday night, strong and damaging winds could hit Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana through Tuesday.
The current storm warning threatens about 30 million people in the south-central and Mississippi Valley who are at risk of two to four inches of rain and flash flooding through Tuesday.
The national weather service warned travel could be affected until the storm abates 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 across the Central Plains and upper Midwest tonight, Monday and Tuesday with areas of heavy snow, sleet and freezing rain.”
Arkansas was hit by a tornado on Sunday, damaging several homes and a local school. The storm appeared to have damaged lighting at a football stadium
Damage was noted in several areas around Jessieville, Arkansas
The threat applies in Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana and Oklahoma until 9 p.m. CST
The current storm warning threatens about 30 million people, including the Mid-South and Mississippi Valley. Parts of Nebraska, Minnesota and South Dakota are expected to get up to 3 inches of snow per hour through Tuesday
The National Weather Service warned of the conditions leading into this week
Ice up to a quarter of an inch is also likely in eastern Nebraska and southern Minnesota.
Weather conditions can lead to hazardous travel, tree damage and power outages.
Meanwhile, California could start raining again on Wednesday after widespread flooding and heavy snowfall hit the northern part of the state over the weekend.
At least three people died from the treacherous conditions, including a person found dead in a fully submerged car in Sacramento County on Saturday and a 72-year-old man who died after falling from a fallen tree in a Santa Cruz park had been hit.
The storm left 300,000 Californians without power on Saturday, but that number dropped to more than 50,000 on Monday.
As the storm moves further east, rain and thunderstorms are forecast for the coast
Meanwhile, California could start raining again on Wednesday after widespread flooding hit the northern part of the state over the weekend. A car is submerged in water in Sacramento
Three vehicles were seen underwater on Highway 99 in southern Sacramento County on Sunday
Two more cars were seen submerged in water as more than 170,000 homes lost power over the weekend
The storm, now heading south, is being attributed to something called atmospheric flow — a region in the atmosphere that can transport moisture thousands of miles.
This “river” has already devastated the Sacramento area, where rescuers spent the weekend rescuing several flood victims using boats and helicopters and responding to calls from downed trees and vehicles stuck in the floodwaters.
An evacuation order was issued Sunday for the rural areas of Point Pleasant, Sacramento County — just a day after rising floodwaters forced evacuations in Wilton, California, as well as in three communities near the Santa Cruz County city of Watsonville.
A flash flood watch was also in place along and west of Freeway 5, which leads to the Sacramento River, where concerns about excessive rain and flooding had already arisen.
A levee was eventually overtopped and breached by the Cosumnes River on Saturday night due to the heavy rains, leaving Wilton submerged. And on Sunday morning, Sacramento County spokesman Matt Robinson said helicopter images showed a second levee had been breached.
Residents in areas near Interstate 5 have been told to prepare to exit the area now before roads close to evacuate the area.
The Sacramento County Bureau of Emergency Services also urged rural residents to move their livestock to high ground.
Meanwhile, videos on Highway 99 showed cars submerged past their door handles.
The highway was later closed south of Elk Grove in Sacramento County.
Sacramento County officials were eventually forced to declare a local emergency.
Some cars were overturned and seen by the roadside in Sacramento County
An aerial view showed flooded areas around homes after Monday’s storm
Buildings flooded after rainstorm hit Sacramento County
Now northern and central California is once again at risk from heavy rains and flooding beginning Wednesday and beginning Thursday, according to the NWS.
The risk of flooding then causes it to move further inland and south of the state on Thursday and Friday.
It’s unclear if the excessive rains will halt California’s endless drought, which is heading for its fourth driest year on record.