Heavy snow and freezing rain hit the the on Northern Plains, in the United States on Tuesday, while thunderstorms and destructive tornadoes pounded the South. The National Weather Service issued tornado warnings across parts of Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas. Twisters were also spotted near Grapevine, Texas and west of Shreveport, Louisiana.
Several people were injured in Texas and buildings were damaged due to the storms.
A tornado near Grapevine damaged several buildings and led to road accidents in Wise, Parker and Jack counties, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported. There were no immediate reports of deaths or injuries.
“You are in a life-threatening situation. Flying debris may be deadly to those caught without shelter. Mobile homes will be destroyed. Considerable damage to homes, businesses, and vehicles is likely and complete destruction is possible,” the National Weather Service (NWS) said in a warning issued at 3:45 p.m. central time.
Over 70 flights had to be cancelled, while nearly 800 others were delayed due to the storms.
“This storm system will continue to produce numerous, widespread, and impactful weather hazards from the Rockies to the East Coast,” the service said in its forecast.
Classes were cancelled across the Dakotas, Colorado and Nebraska due to blizzard-like conditions. Some spots in the four-state area were expecting two feet (61 cm) of snow and winds of 60 miles per hour (97 kmph) throughout the next two days, the NWS said.