Historic storms have pummeled parts of the U.S. with blizzards, record-breaking hail and tornadoes, causing widespread damage across the central and southern states.
Montana and North Dakota were slammed by the spring snowstorm, which featured 60mph winds and whiteout conditions, that is expected to continuing piling snow on residents through Thursday.
Much of the region has already reported at least one foot of snow, while forecasters predict most areas will see two feet of accumulation by the time the system passes. At least one mountain community had already reported nearly four feet of snow Wednesday morning.
The entirety of Interstate 94 was closed for nearly a day, however the North Dakota Department of Transportation has reopened the highway between Bismarck to Jamestown. The remainder of the interstate is expected to remain closed for the foreseeable future.
A No Travel Advisory remains in effect for the state as meteorologists predict the spring snowstorm could become one of the biggest in a quarter century.
A separate weather system brought thunderstorms, high winds, heavy rain and hail across the midwest and into the south.
Nearly two dozen people were injured after a tornado struck Texas Tuesday night and although the damage was significant, officials report there was no loss of life.
Baron Weather forecasters claim the severity of the multiple storm systems remains uncertain, noting that some communities remain under ‘enhanced risk’ of tornadoes and fires.
Montana and North Dakota were slammed by a spring snowstorm Tuesday. The system is expected to continuing piling snow on residents through Thursday. A pedestrian is seen walking through the snow in Bismarck, ND on Wednesday
The storm has left much of North Dakota bracing whiteout conditions. This picture was taken in Bismarck on Tuesday afternoon
A No Travel Advisory remains in effect for much of North Dakota and Montana as meteorologists predict the spring snowstorm could become one of the biggest in a quarter century. An icy, snow-covered ND road is pictured
Historic storms have pummeled parts of the U.S. with blizzards, record-breaking hail and tornadoes, causing widespread damage across the central and southern states
Much of the central US region has already reported at least one foot of snow, while forecasters predict most areas will see two feet of accumulation by the time the system passes
The same storm system responsible for tornadoes in the south is responsible for record-setting snow in the northern Plains.
Billings, Montana reported 13.9 inches of snow Tuesday, making it one of the snowiest days the community has seen in decades, AccuWeather reported.
The last time Billings saw that much snow accumulated in one day was May 11, 1981 when 15 inches piled up.
Other areas of Montana reported three to four feet of accumulation. Albro Lake, located in the mountains of southwestern Montana, reported 47 inches of snow. Nearby Pony, Montana record 36 inches.
However, forecasters claim the worst of the storm is lingering over the central part of North Dakota, where visibility remains low.
Airports across the state have cancelled almost every arriving and departing flight that was scheduled Wednesday, after numerous delays on Tuesday, KFYR reported. It is unclear if flight routes will resume Thursday.
Residents across the state have prepared to be snowed in for the next few days and several school districts have already opted to close schools until the storm system passes.
‘It’s a little windy, it’s a little cold. I don’t know, it’s not that bad if you have your earbuds in or something, just kinda jam out, take it a minute at a time, and have at it,’ Gus Lindegren of Bismarck told the tv station, noting he was trying to get ahead of the snow.
‘I grew up on a farm in North Dakota, and I don’t get too excited about blizzards. You just prepare for them, don’t do anything dumb,’ echoed Mike Deisz, also of Bismarck.
Rick Krolak of the National Weather Service office in Bismarck said the storm brought to mind the blizzard of 1997 that hit on April 4 of that year, dumping up to two feet of snow in some areas, knocking out power to thousands of residents and leaving motorists stranded on major highways.
‘Its definitely looking like its going to pack a punch,’ he said of the storm.
Workers were plowing the roads throughout North Dakota on Wednesday
The entirety of Interstate 94 was closed for nearly a day, however the North Dakota Department of Transportation has reopened the highway between Bismarck to Jamestown. A ND road is pictured amid whiteout conditions
A homeowner on Northview Lane in northeast Bismarck, N.D., struggles to maneuver a snowblower as he clears his driveway of deep snowdrifts on Wednesday
North Dakota Dept. of Transportation workers are pictured plowing snow covered streets
Areas of Montana reported three to four feet of accumulation. Albro Lake, located in the mountains of southwestern Montana, reported 47 inches of snow. Nearby Pony, Montana record 36 inches. However, forecasters claim the worst of the storm is lingering over the central part of North Dakota, where visibility remains low
After the snowstorm wraps up, meteorologists warn temperatures in Montana, Wyoming and the Dakotas could plunge to as low as -20 degrees Fahrenheit.
Strong winds reaching speeds of 60 mph will follow the pounding snow, reaching as far as south and east as the central Plains, Great Lakes and Ohio Valley.
The core of the deep freeze will come Thursday and into Friday, AccuWeather reported, mostly impacting the north-central U.S.
Communities in the epicenter – Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota and South Dakota – will likely reach sub-zero temperatures while neighboring states will see temps in the single digits.
The deep freeze follows what was already a record cold morning for many areas throughout the Rocky Mountains.
Yellowstone National Park, in Montana, recorded temperatures of -15 degrees Fahrenheit Wednesday, a new daily record. That was reportedly the lowest temperature in the region.
Denver, the capital city of Colorado, set a record for the date with a low of 11 degrees Fahrenheit.
Across the state, near Akron, Colorado, a regional airport reported a drastic drop from 57 degrees Fahrenheit on Tuesday to 7 degrees on Wednesday morning.
Low temperature records were also broken throughout Montana, including in Chinook, which saw a 113-year-old daily record fall with a low of 21 degrees Fahrenheit.
Matt Mittelstaedt, a driver for Missouri Slope Lutheran Care Center, pushes as a Good Samaritan tows the large passenger van he was driving when it got stuck in the snow at the intersection of State Street and Divide in Bismarck, ND on Tuesday
A woman tries to push a stuck car in the snow at the intersection of State Street and Divide Avenue in Bismarck ND on Tuesday
Strong winds reaching speeds of 60 mph will follow the pounding snow, reaching as far as south and east as the central Plains, Great Lakes and Ohio Valley
After the snowstorm wraps up, meteorologists warn temperatures in Montana, Wyoming and the Dakotas could plunge to as low as -20 degrees Fahrenheit. The core of the deep freeze will come Thursday and into Friday
A chocolate lab is seen playing in the deep snow in Dickinson, North Dakota on Wednesday
North Dakota snow crews work to plow the roadways on Wednesday as a No Travel Advisory remains in effect across the state
Brothers Elisa Flanagan, 15, left, and Solomon, 16, back, shovel the wet snow from their driveway in northeast Bismarck, ND on Wednesday
A North Dakota resident’s home is covered with snow on Tuesday
Snow is pictured outside a North Dakota resident’s home on Tuesday
The dynamic storm also divided South Dakota with winter and spring weather on Tuesday.
While the northwestern part of the state battled a blizzard Tuesday, the southeastern portion of the state was met with 70 degree temperatures and tornado warnings.
As another round of severe thunderstorms began to develop in the south, the National Weather Service on Wednesday issued a tornado watch for portions of Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas.
The new watch includes communities that were previously struck with a round of damaging storms Tuesday night.
Tornado watches and warnings remained in effect for northern Iowa, a section of central Texas and parts of Louisiana Tuesday night as the dangerous storm system is expected to continue through Thursday.
The National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center issued level 4 out of 5 ‘moderate risk’ of severe weather and for a large part of the Mississippi Valley on Wednesday, citing ‘the potential for strong tornadoes and very large hail.
Several tornadoes touched down in Central Texas and Iowa Tuesday, causing widespread damage, the National Weather Service reported. At least 23 people were injured in the twister.
‘The damage, while significant, it certainly could have been worse,’ Bell County Judge David Blackburn told NBC News Tuesday, noting he was grateful no lives were lost.
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A tornado touches down in Iowa Tuesday. Watches and warnings remained in effect for northern Iowa, a section of central Texas and parts of Louisiana into Wednesday as the dangerous storm system is expected to continue
The National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center issued level 4 out of 5 ‘moderate risk’ of severe weather on Wednesday, citing ‘the potential for strong tornadoes and very large hail’
One tornado swept through the Texas town of Salado, damaging homes in Bell County, and produced massive hail, some nearly six inches in length
One tornado swept through the Texas town of Salado, damaging homes in Bell County, and produced massive record breaking hail, nearly six inches in length, according to photos posted to social media.
Officials say 23 people were hurt in the Bell County storm with 12 people taken to the hospital, and one was reported to be in critical condition.
The tornado was on the ground for an estimated 7 miles, according to Bell County Judge David Blackburn.
Rotating thunderstorms churned over Iowa and Louisiana, soon followed by historic blizzard conditions in North Dakota.
There were reports of people trapped in the homes in Bossier City, Louisiana, according to KSLA. And thousands of SWEPCO customers temporarily lost electrical service.
Nearly 81,000 customers in Texas were without power early Wednesday morning, about 10,000 in Iowa, and 72,000-plus customers in Louisiana, according to a utility tracking site.
Storms are expected to continue through the night and into Wednesday with damaging winds and possible tornadoes.
‘Numerous severe thunderstorms appear likely across a large portion of the lower/mid Mississippi Valley into the Midwest, and lower Ohio Valley on Wednesday,’ the NWS Storm Prediction Center said.
The blizzard brought white-out conditions to Bismarck, North Dakota. The airport canceled all flights for the day on Tuesday and state offices closed at 12:30 p.m. local time and residents were urged to stay off roads due to treacherous conditions
A blizzard slammed North Dakota with whiteout conditions, and meteorologists said it could rage into Thursday, becoming one of the biggest in a quarter century
Two feet of snow were predicted across much of the state and northern cities such could see up to 30 inches by Thursday, when the weather system was expected to move northeast
