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5 min ago

North Carolina governor declares state of emergency

From CNN’s Joe Sutton

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper declared a state of emergency on Monday ahead of the severe weather that is expected to impact the state today.

"This storm system has the potential to bring high winds and other dangerous storm conditions to North Carolina, and people should be aware and take precautions,” Cooper said in a news release.

Be sure your emergency kits are up to date and pay attention to the weather in your area, especially any weather alerts such as flash flood warnings."

The storm threat is expected to increase into Tuesday afternoon.

“The severe weather threat has increased with numerous severe storms capable of producing damaging wind gusts and tornadoes possible Tuesday afternoon through Tuesday night, especially in the eastern half of the state,” the news release noted.

23 min ago

Power outages across southern and central US affect more than 250,000 customers

High winds continue to impact much of the central and southern US, which has increased power outages to over 262,000 customers, according to poweroutage.us. 

Here the states with the highest power outages as of 6 a.m. ET:

• Washington: 84,000+
• Alabama: 61,000+
• Kansas: 37,000+
• Texas: 35,000+
• Georgia: 27,000+
• Mississippi: 18,000+

More than half the US population is currently under wind alerts that cover almost all of the South and extend into the Northeast. The bulk of the high wind alerts across the Southern Plains will begin to expire through the day on Tuesday but will largely last into Wednesday for much of the Eastern US. 

9 min ago

NYC issues travel advisory and flood watch for Tuesday evening, warning of heavy rains and damaging winds

From CNN's Rob Frehse

New York City issued a travel advisory and flood watch starting Tuesday night at 6 p.m. ET, warning of heavy rains, damaging winds and moderate coastal flooding across the city. 

“As New York City prepares for a potent mix of heavy rain, potential flooding, and strong winds from Tuesday night through Wednesday morning, our dedicated teams are fully mobilized and working in close coordination with the National Weather Service, city and state agency partners, and local utility companies to ensure a robust and effective response,” NYC Emergency Management Commissioner Zach Iscol said Monday evening. 

“Given that multiple warnings and advisories have been issued citywide, including the potential for significant coastal flooding in southern Queens, I urge all New Yorkers to take this storm seriously, stay updated through Notify NYC, and take necessary precautions,” he added.

A high wind warning will also be in effect for Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island starting Tuesday night with 30 to 40 mph winds and gusts up to 60 mph, according to New York City Emergency Management. 

Mayor Eric Adams encouraged residents to stay safe and remain informed about the forecast.

“Our city government is prepared to respond to whatever comes our way, but residents should also take the necessary precautions to stay safe and protect their belongings,” Adams said.

“I encourage all New Yorkers to sign up for Notify NYC to get the latest information and closely monitor the forecast as this storm approaches,” he added.

5 min ago

Kansas governor declares state of disaster emergency

From CNN’s Joe Sutton and Jennifer Feldman

Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly on Monday issued a state of disaster emergency proclamation due to the significant winter storm impacting the state.

"I encourage all Kansans to be cautious as the winter storm moves through our state," Kelly said in the news release. "Stay off the roads if possible and be mindful of emergency response personnel working hard to keep our citizens safe."

The proclamation will allow resources to be prepositioned across the state.

According to the news release, travelers are encouraged to avoid travel but if they must, to have a full tank of gas and an emergency kit.

The National Weather Service issued blizzard warnings, winter storm warnings and winter weather advisories across Kansas on Monday. The Kansas Department of Transportation said Monday evening that parts of Interstate 70 were closed due to blizzard conditions.

46 min ago

This is the city-by-city forecast for Tuesday

From CNN's Robert Shackelford

Here's a roundup of the various cities expected to be affected by the storms today:

New Orleans

• Tornado watch until 8 a.m. ET Tuesday
• Flood watch until 10 a.m. ET
• High wind warning until 4 a.m. ET Tuesday
• Gusts up to 58 mph possible 
• Wind advisory from 4 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET Tuesday
• Gusts up to 50 mph possible 
• Winds could be around 30 mph for morning commute 
• Rainfall wraps up by the late morning

Houston

• Tornado watch has expired
• Wind advisory until 7 p.m. ET Tuesday
• Gusts of 35-40 mph 4 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Could impact morning commute 

Des Moines

• Winter storm warning until 7 p.m. ET
• 5 to 9 inches of snow, heaviest snowfall is ongoing
• Will last through Tuesday morning, could greatly impact morning commute
• Wind gusts up to 40 mph by Tuesday afternoon, peak gusts 9 a.m. and 6 p.m.

 Chicago

• Winter weather advisory until 1 p.m. ET
• 2 to 4 inches of snow with heaviest snowfall of 1 inch per hour ongoing
• Significantly greater snow to the north and west of the city
• Snowfall will last through morning commute
• Will switch over to rain during the day and back to rain and snow for Tuesday evening
• Wind gusts 15 to 35 mph through Wednesday morning

 Tampa

• Coastal flood warning Tuesday 10 a.m. to Wednesday 7 a.m. EST
• Wind advisory Tuesday 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• Peak wind gusts 20 to 40 mph Tuesday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• 1 to 1.5 inches of rain Tuesday from 12 p.m. to 11 p.m.

Atlanta

• Flood watch through 7 p.m. ET Tuesday
• Rainfall of 2 to 4 inches possible
• Peak rainfall through 11 a.m.
• Will impact morning commute
• Wind advisory through 7 p.m. Tuesday
• Winds gusts between 20 to 35 mph through Wednesday morning

Charleston

• High wind warning Tuesday 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. ET
• Peak gusts of 40 to 50-plus mph Tuesday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

New York

• Flood watch Tuesday 6 p.m. to Wednesday 12 p.m. ET
• Rainfall of 2 to 3 inches with isolated amounts exceeding 3 inches possible
• Peak rainfall from 7 p.m. Tuesday until 2 a.m. Wednesday
• Could impact afternoon commute
• Wind advisory Tuesday 6 p.m. to Wednesday 6 a.m. ET
• Peak wind gusts of 40 to 50-plus mph expected Tuesday overnight into early Wednesday
• Coastal flood advisory Wednesday
• 1 to 2 feet of inundation

Washington, DC

• Flood watch Tuesday 1 p.m. to Wednesday 7 a.m. ET
• 1.5 to 3 inches of rain with isolated totals up to 4 inches, with the heaviest from Tuesday 1 p.m. to 11 p.m.
• Could impact afternoon commute
• Wind advisory Tuesday 3 p.m. to Wednesday 1 a.m. ET
• Peak wind gusts of 30 to 50 mph Tuesday 3 p.m. to 11p.m. and again Wednesday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Coastal flood advisory Tuesday
• Half a foot of inundation

Philadelphia

• Flood watch Tuesday 1 p.m. to Wednesday 6 p.m. ET 
• 1 to 3 inches of rain with isolated totals up to 4 inches, with the heaviest from Tuesday 6 p.m. to 11 p.m.
• Could impact afternoon commute
• Wind advisory Tuesday 5 p.m. to Wednesday 3 a.m. ET
• Peak wind gusts of 30 to 50 mph Tuesday 6 p.m. to Wednesday 3 a.m.
• Coastal flood advisory Tuesday night to Wednesday morning
• 1-3 feet of inundation

1 hr 7 min ago

Over 40 million people are under severe storm threat Tuesday

There are over 40 million people under a severe storm threat on Tuesday, according to the latest from the Storm Prediction Center. 

An enhanced risk for severe storms, or a level 3 of 5, is in effect from the Florida Panhandle to the Carolinas, including Jacksonville, Tallahassee, Savannah, Charleston and Wilmington. 

The main threats are strong tornadoes, some of which could be EF2 to EF5 and strong wind gusts, some of which could exceed 74 mph. 

A slight risk for severe storms, level 2 of 5, is in effect from central Florida to southern Virginia, including Charlotte, Raleigh and Tampa. 

The main threats are tornadoes and damaging wind gusts. 

A marginal risk for severe storms, level 1 of 5, spreads from southern Florida to central Virginia, including Virginia Beach, Atlanta, Miami, and Norfolk. 

The main threats are isolated tornadoes, wind gusts and large hail. 

Heavy rainfall is associated with the bulk of these storms. Flood watches are currently in effect for cities like Atlanta, Charlotte, Washington DC, Philadelphia and New York City, where rainfall of 2 to 4 inches is possible, with isolated totals exceeding 4 inches. 

1 hr 8 min ago

Why the last storm makes this one even more dangerous

From CNN Meteorologist Mary Gilbert

Heavy rain will deluge much of the East on Tuesday, raising the flood threat from Florida to New England.

But there's even more risk in parts of the Northeast, where snow lingers from the past weekend’s snowstorm.

When the snow melts, the water the snow kept locked up above the ground is now free to flow. Throw heavy rain on top of that water, and it creates a higher flood threat than either can do alone.

How much additional water gets added into the flooding equation depends on how much water the snow contains, a measurement called snow water equivalent. In two equal-sized samples, heavy, wet snow will have a higher snow water equivalent – and therefore more water – than light, powdery snow.

When snowmelt is combined with heavy, falling rain, the runoff causes area rivers and streams to swell up or overflow.

But the rain on its own doesn’t melt the snow to a significant extent. It’s actually the warm air and the rain that melts snow considerably.

Temperatures will be very mild for January across much of the Eastern Seaboard as rain falls. New York City and Philadelphia will be in the 50s during the deluge later Tuesday and into Wednesday. Temperatures in Boston will hover near 40 degrees as rain drenches the area.

1 min ago

Massive winter storm brings blizzard conditions to Midwest and threatens Southeast with tornadoes

From CNN's Elizabeth Wolfe, Robert Shackelford and Joe Sutton

A vast and disruptive storm is set to whip up miserable morning commutes as it blasts the Midwest with heavy snow and blizzard conditions while also blanketing the Southeast with damaging winds, rain and possible tornadoes – conditions that are expected to expand into the Northeast later Tuesday.

More than 40 million people are under severe storm threat on Tuesday with weather alerts stretching more than 2,000 miles from New Mexico to Maine, according to the Storm Prediction Center.

The system has already hit the South with hail storms, significant flooding and tornado threats and unleashed perilous blizzard conditions in parts of the central US, shutting down several highways and stranding drivers in frigid temperatures.

Amid severe blizzard conditions in Kansas on Monday, the state highway patrol said it had responded to more than 300 calls for help and nearly 70 crashes. But whiteout conditions were making it difficult to see and authorities were having difficulty with rescues, one trooper said on social media.

Widespread power outages are expected Tuesday as strong winds threaten to topple power poles and down trees in areas where the ground has been saturated by rain.

More than 200,000 homes and businesses in six states are already experiencing outages, mainly in Kansas, Alabama and Washington, according to tracker poweroutage.us.

Here’s what to expect Tuesday:

• Tornadoes threaten Southeast: More than 11 million people from the Florida Panhandle to North Carolina are at risk of seeing tornadoes, including some strong ones with winds over 110 mph. That includes metropolitan areas such as Jacksonville, Florida and Charleston South Carolina. A tornado watch is also in effect until 8 a.m. ET for southern parts of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama and the western Florida Panhandle.

• Rain could trigger damaging flooding: Flooding is a significant concern in areas where heavy rainfall is soaking already saturated ground. Several major metropolitan areas along the East Coast could see flooding, including Atlanta, Georgia, Washington, DC and New York City, where rainfall of 2-4 inches is possible.

• Strong winds threaten widespread power outages: Gusty winds could also cause widespread power outages Tuesday as more than half the US population – in areas stretching from the South to the Northeast – are under wind alerts.

• Treacherous blizzard conditions shift east: Blizzard warnings spread from New Mexico to Nebraska through Tuesday morning as the threat shifts from the Plains to the Midwest. Another 2-6 inches of snowfall are possible in the area, along with winds of up to 70 mph.

• Up to a foot of snow possible from central US to Northeast: Winter storm alerts are in effect for areas of eastern Kansas, Nebraska and eastern Wisconsin, as well as interior parts of the Northeast and New England. Widespread snowfall between 6-12 inches is possible and some areas could see even more. The snowfall will begin to let up in the central US on Tuesday and in the Midwest, Great Lakes and Northeast on Wednesday.

Read more about the massive storm here.

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper declared a state of emergency on Monday ahead of the severe weather that is expected to impact the state today.

"This storm system has the potential to bring high winds and other dangerous storm conditions to North Carolina, and people should be aware and take precautions,” Cooper said in a news release.

The storm threat is expected to increase into Tuesday afternoon.

“The severe weather threat has increased with numerous severe storms capable of producing damaging wind gusts and tornadoes possible Tuesday afternoon through Tuesday night, especially in the eastern half of the state,” the news release noted.

High winds continue to impact much of the central and southern US, which has increased power outages to over 262,000 customers, according to poweroutage.us. 

Here the states with the highest power outages as of 6 a.m. ET:

More than half the US population is currently under wind alerts that cover almost all of the South and extend into the Northeast. The bulk of the high wind alerts across the Southern Plains will begin to expire through the day on Tuesday but will largely last into Wednesday for much of the Eastern US. 

New York City issued a travel advisory and flood watch starting Tuesday night at 6 p.m. ET, warning of heavy rains, damaging winds and moderate coastal flooding across the city. 

“Given that multiple warnings and advisories have been issued citywide, including the potential for significant coastal flooding in southern Queens, I urge all New Yorkers to take this storm seriously, stay updated through Notify NYC, and take necessary precautions,” he added.

A high wind warning will also be in effect for Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island starting Tuesday night with 30 to 40 mph winds and gusts up to 60 mph, according to New York City Emergency Management. 

Mayor Eric Adams encouraged residents to stay safe and remain informed about the forecast.

“Our city government is prepared to respond to whatever comes our way, but residents should also take the necessary precautions to stay safe and protect their belongings,” Adams said.

“I encourage all New Yorkers to sign up for Notify NYC to get the latest information and closely monitor the forecast as this storm approaches,” he added.

Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly on Monday issued a state of disaster emergency proclamation due to the significant winter storm impacting the state.

The proclamation will allow resources to be prepositioned across the state.

According to the news release, travelers are encouraged to avoid travel but if they must, to have a full tank of gas and an emergency kit.

The National Weather Service issued blizzard warnings, winter storm warnings and winter weather advisories across Kansas on Monday. The Kansas Department of Transportation said Monday evening that parts of Interstate 70 were closed due to blizzard conditions.

Here's a roundup of the various cities expected to be affected by the storms today:

New Orleans

Houston

Des Moines

 Chicago

 Tampa

Atlanta

Charleston

New York

Washington, DC

Philadelphia

There are over 40 million people under a severe storm threat on Tuesday, according to the latest from the Storm Prediction Center. 

An enhanced risk for severe storms, or a level 3 of 5, is in effect from the Florida Panhandle to the Carolinas, including Jacksonville, Tallahassee, Savannah, Charleston and Wilmington. 

The main threats are strong tornadoes, some of which could be EF2 to EF5 and strong wind gusts, some of which could exceed 74 mph. 

A slight risk for severe storms, level 2 of 5, is in effect from central Florida to southern Virginia, including Charlotte, Raleigh and Tampa. 

The main threats are tornadoes and damaging wind gusts. 

A marginal risk for severe storms, level 1 of 5, spreads from southern Florida to central Virginia, including Virginia Beach, Atlanta, Miami, and Norfolk. 

The main threats are isolated tornadoes, wind gusts and large hail. 

Heavy rainfall is associated with the bulk of these storms. Flood watches are currently in effect for cities like Atlanta, Charlotte, Washington DC, Philadelphia and New York City, where rainfall of 2 to 4 inches is possible, with isolated totals exceeding 4 inches. 

Heavy rain will deluge much of the East on Tuesday, raising the flood threat from Florida to New England.

But there's even more risk in parts of the Northeast, where snow lingers from the past weekend’s snowstorm.

When the snow melts, the water the snow kept locked up above the ground is now free to flow. Throw heavy rain on top of that water, and it creates a higher flood threat than either can do alone.

How much additional water gets added into the flooding equation depends on how much water the snow contains, a measurement called snow water equivalent. In two equal-sized samples, heavy, wet snow will have a higher snow water equivalent – and therefore more water – than light, powdery snow.

When snowmelt is combined with heavy, falling rain, the runoff causes area rivers and streams to swell up or overflow.

But the rain on its own doesn’t melt the snow to a significant extent. It’s actually the warm air and the rain that melts snow considerably.

Temperatures will be very mild for January across much of the Eastern Seaboard as rain falls. New York City and Philadelphia will be in the 50s during the deluge later Tuesday and into Wednesday. Temperatures in Boston will hover near 40 degrees as rain drenches the area.

A vast and disruptive storm is set to whip up miserable morning commutes as it blasts the Midwest with heavy snow and blizzard conditions while also blanketing the Southeast with damaging winds, rain and possible tornadoes – conditions that are expected to expand into the Northeast later Tuesday.

More than 40 million people are under severe storm threat on Tuesday with weather alerts stretching more than 2,000 miles from New Mexico to Maine, according to the Storm Prediction Center.

The system has already hit the South with hail storms, significant flooding and tornado threats and unleashed perilous blizzard conditions in parts of the central US, shutting down several highways and stranding drivers in frigid temperatures.

Amid severe blizzard conditions in Kansas on Monday, the state highway patrol said it had responded to more than 300 calls for help and nearly 70 crashes. But whiteout conditions were making it difficult to see and authorities were having difficulty with rescues, one trooper said on social media.

Widespread power outages are expected Tuesday as strong winds threaten to topple power poles and down trees in areas where the ground has been saturated by rain.

More than 200,000 homes and businesses in six states are already experiencing outages, mainly in Kansas, Alabama and Washington, according to tracker poweroutage.us.

Here’s what to expect Tuesday:

• Tornadoes threaten Southeast: More than 11 million people from the Florida Panhandle to North Carolina are at risk of seeing tornadoes, including some strong ones with winds over 110 mph. That includes metropolitan areas such as Jacksonville, Florida and Charleston South Carolina. A tornado watch is also in effect until 8 a.m. ET for southern parts of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama and the western Florida Panhandle.

• Rain could trigger damaging flooding: Flooding is a significant concern in areas where heavy rainfall is soaking already saturated ground. Several major metropolitan areas along the East Coast could see flooding, including Atlanta, Georgia, Washington, DC and New York City, where rainfall of 2-4 inches is possible.

• Strong winds threaten widespread power outages: Gusty winds could also cause widespread power outages Tuesday as more than half the US population – in areas stretching from the South to the Northeast – are under wind alerts.

• Treacherous blizzard conditions shift east: Blizzard warnings spread from New Mexico to Nebraska through Tuesday morning as the threat shifts from the Plains to the Midwest. Another 2-6 inches of snowfall are possible in the area, along with winds of up to 70 mph.

• Up to a foot of snow possible from central US to Northeast: Winter storm alerts are in effect for areas of eastern Kansas, Nebraska and eastern Wisconsin, as well as interior parts of the Northeast and New England. Widespread snowfall between 6-12 inches is possible and some areas could see even more. The snowfall will begin to let up in the central US on Tuesday and in the Midwest, Great Lakes and Northeast on Wednesday.

Read more about the massive storm here.