Powerful U.S. storms bring blizzards, tornado threats

Powerful storms that killed three people in Mississippi and ripped roofs from buildings in a small Oklahoma town charged eastward Wednesday, spawning tornado warnings near the East Coast while heavy snow struck the Midwest and dry, windy weather fanned wildfires in Texas.

Meanwhile, forecasters warned that a Pacific storm was expected to bring widespread rain and mountain snow across California and other parts of the West from Wednesday into Friday.

Tornado warnings were issued in the Carolinas, Florida and Virginia on Wednesday. Officials in Union County, North Carolina, said in a social media post that the U.S. National Weather Service confirmed an EF1 tornado touched down in the Unionville area on Wednesday. The storm caused structural damage, and power outages after wind speeds of up to 145 kilometers per hour. No injuries were reported, according to the county.

In Texas, high winds and dry vegetation fueled wildfires in several areas of the state. One burned at least 20 homes and structures in coastal San Patricio County near Corpus Christi. There were no immediate reports of injuries. The National Weather Service said critical fire weather conditions were still expected across south central Texas on Wednesday.

Severe weather threats persisted a day after stormy winds forced changes to Mardi Gras celebrations in New Orleans, which moved up and shortened its two biggest parades.

The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency on Wednesday blamed severe weather for three deaths. It is reported that in Madison County one person died from a falling power line, and another was killed by a tree falling on his car. A woman in Clarke County died when a tree limb fell on her outside her home.

At least seven confirmed tornadoes touched down Tuesday in Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana, according to preliminary information from the weather service. That number could increase Wednesday, with the potential for severe storms stretching from Florida to New York state.

Blizzard conditions hit eastern Nebraska overnight into Wednesday, bringing around 10 centimeters of snow and winds up to 105 kilometers per hour, limiting visibility and closing numerous snowy roads.

Parts of Minnesota and much of Iowa were on the waning side of a powerful winter storm. The storm brought the heaviest snow of the season to Minneapolis, where the weather service reported 18.8 centimeters of snow at the airport. Other nearby communities reported a foot of snow or more.

The slippery roads led to at least 70 crashes, the Minnesota State Patrol reported. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz authorized the National Guard to provide support and help rescue stranded drivers.

The Iowa State Patrol blamed whiteout conditions for 68 crashes from Tuesday night into Wednesday. They included a pileup on Interstate 35 outside Des Moines and numerous wrecks on Interstate 80.

In a South Carolina community near Myrtle Beach, where firefighters have been battling wildfires since the weekend, Horry County Fire Rescue said in a social media post that heavy winds would keep firefighters from responding to flare-ups and spot fires by air and from entering woods where damaged trees could fall.

The storms have left thousands of people without electricity Wednesday across the central and southeastern U.S., including more than 51,000 homes and businesses in Texas, about 27,000 in Virginia and about 17,000 in Tennessee, according to PowerOutage.us.

About 800 flights scheduled to fly into or out of U.S. airports were canceled Wednesday, according to FlightAware.com, which tracks cancellations and delays nationwide.

(Cover: The heaviest snowfall of the season blankets Father Hennepin Park in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the U.S., March 5, 2025. /VCG)