The eastern section of Pennsylvania had a lot of rainfall Sunday while people in the west and higher elevations were left dealing with the white stuff. Up to a foot of snow could come down in the mountains of mid Pennsylvania as well as in portions of New York state. A winter storm warning has been put into effect for portions of northern Ohio where up to seven inches of snow is expected to fall Monday. Mother Nature has decided that people have had enough summer-like temps. The weather is playing a rather dirty trick on residents in portions of the Midwest and east who have already been enjoying their spring flowers and who’ve been busy mowing their yards due to the early arrival of spring.

High winds with speeds up to 30 miles per hour are predicted for the Northeast Monday with gusts up to 50 miles per hour expected in the Cape Code region. The National Weather Service has flood watches and warnings in effect for many areas throughout the Northeast. The areas which have received several inches of snow over the weekend will become slushy and slippery early Monday – just in time for the beginning of the work week commute. There is a good deal of worry over possible power outages due to heavy snow on tree branches and limbs. A similar storm last October dumped two feet of wet heavy snow in the Northeast which was responsible for snapping tree limbs and powerlines in which three million homes and businesses lost power.

The inclement weather caused major airline delays Sunday in New York, Boston and Pittsburgh. Major league baseball games were postponed in New York and Washington as were several Earth Day activities planned across the Northeast. April has been a month filled with weird weather across the U.S. With many areas enjoying hot, summer-like weather. The large, powerful spring storm that is moving across the northeastern portion of the country could dump record-setting amounts of snow and rain. Such storms are rare for this late in April in this part of the US so we can expect to see many records set.

Iowa City council member Randy white, however, told CNN that he was aware of no serious harm or injuries and that “A lot of windows have been broken out and some cars have been flipped over. We can’t see a lot right now because the power is out.”

As part of the initiative to deal with any imminent threat, a temporary hospital was set up at southwestern community college and this is according to White. In Des Moines, Iowa, the National Weather Service meteorologist in the area, Roger Vachalek, reported that residents should get prepared for high winds and possible tornadoes throughout the night.

Near Brookville, Kansas, residents were told “major house and building damage was likely and complete destruction was possible.” Reports from the National Weather Service office in Hastings, Nebraska, presented by Mike Moritz, noted that a tennis-ball-sized hail and winds of up to 60 miles per hour engulfed parts of Boone and Antelope counties of Nebraska.

Similarly, Rick Smith, who is a warning coordination meteorologist at Norman National Weather Service office in Oklahoma, said that a line of supercell thunderstorms covered northwest part of Oklahoma to the Texas Panhandle on Saturday afternoon. At Woodward, Oklahoma, Rick Smith told CNN that a tornado formed in the area.

Smith further reiterated, “This is just the beginning of what could be a long afternoon and night, and people should pay attention to warnings.” However, no injuries have already been reported in Oklahoma as at mid-evening Saturday. Dave Hennen , a CNN meteorologist said that the Interstate 35 corridor, which stretches from Oklahoma city to Wichita was one of the areas that were most threatened by the tornado outbreaks.

In addition, according to a CNN meteorologist Sean Morris, the “high-risk” identified areas would perhaps experience EF3 to EF5 kind of tornadoes with packing winds of up to 136mph or even stronger. In other reports, an elevated severe thunderstorm that posed a “moderate” threat, extended from areas of northern Nebraska.

This “moderate” threat thunderstorm stretched to southward into the Northern Texas covering areas such as Kansas City, Missouri and Tulsa, Oklahoma. In addition, a “slight” risk area was also noted to be threatened by the tornado and this extended all the way from Texas to the southwest of Wisconsin.

According to the National Weather Service, a severe thunderstorm is that which produces at least one or more of;
• winds of at least 58 mph
• hail 1 inch in diameter
• tornadoes

The series of predicted severe storms come in a time when five National Weather Service offices located in Missouri and Kansas are participating in an experiment on how to convey risks from tornadoes and dangerous storms in a better way to the people.

The National Weather Service is building up its efforts to combat complacency using graphic terms that could help communicate clearly to people amidst an impending threat of a tornado or storm. This could enable people seek safe shelter in the event of a tornado.

There is a chance of spotty high winds and hail for Madison, Wisconsin and the surrounding area today as well as for Peoria, IL, Kansas City, MO and Wichita, KS. The threat of tornadoes will increase on Wednesday when a wave of low pressure will form along the tail of the frontal zone in portions of Kansas. On Thursday, the tornado threat may increase even more as another system moves in and begins to taps the increasing amounts of moisture in Kansas.

Frequent rounds of severe weather occurred during the 2011 warm season. Most of March 2012 has been uncommonly warm throughout much of the United States with many states enjoying summer-like temperatures in the 70s and 80s, which has spawned numerous severe thunderstorms and some tornadoes.

In early March of this year, around 100 tornadoes did tremendous damage in the country – killing dozens of people and destroying entire communities. The tornado tragedies hit hardest in Kentucky and Indiana. Thus far the estimated clean up and rebuilding cost is well over $1 billion. Most recently over 100 homes were severely damaged or demolished in a small town in southeastern lower Michigan, which is an area where tornadoes rarely appear. There are usually about 60 tornado casualties during a full year in the US. Thus far this year, there have been at least 55. Last year, tornadoes resulted in 550 deaths.

Weather researchers and climatologists say that these early tornado disasters could be due to climate change as the earlier arrival of warm weather is expanding the tornado season. It is also believed that climate change may make tornado outbreaks more intense.

There are about 1000 tornadoes reported in the US each year. The damages caused by this year’s twisters can be an indication that this will be a very active year for tornadoes in the country. However, according to the National Weather Service, even trained weather experts cannot say with accuracy how a season will be. Nevertheless, the service is reminding people that the recent rash of tornadoes should prompt people to be prepared. Everyone should know their community’s warning system and have a place to take shelter should a tornado warning be issued.

The widespread storm system stretched from the Gulf Coast to the Great Lakes. The storms killed at least 28 people, including 14 in Indiana and 12 in Kentucky while a countless number of others were injured. As of Friday evening, it was not known how many people are unaccounted for. It was eerily quiet in Henryville where the high school was demolished and the top floor of the junior high next door was ripped off. Students were inside the schools when the tornado hit but there were just minor injuries reported.

The Indiana National Guard was sent to the hardest hit areas of the state to help with cleanup and recovery work. In Kentucky, governor Steve Beshear declared a statewide emergency and also sent out the National Guard to help with search and rescue efforts in Morgan Country which was hit hard. The National Weather Service reported that there were several people trapped inside damaged buildings after a large twister hit the small town of West Liberty in the the eastern portion of the state. State authorities reported that they had lost contact with emergency personnel in that town. Governor Beshear plans to visit West Liberty on Saturday to assess the damage there.

Nine counties in Tennessee reported possible tornado touchdowns. At least 30 people were injured in that state. Dozens of homes in Hamilton Country, TN have been severely damaged including brick homes which were ripped off their foundations. Many trees in the county were uprooted, making roadways impassable and knocking out power.

The storms that moved across the Midwest were called unusual by the National Weather Service. It reported that only about five times a year is there such a high risk for numerous tornadoes to form in one area of the country and this was one of those times.

Meteorologists stated that the severe weather was unusual for January, and was more evocative of a springtime condition.

Tornadoes resulting from the system that spread across the Gulf of Mexico through the Great lakes slammed Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama and Tennessee early Monday morning. Major damage was reported in Alabama where two people, 86 years-old Bobby Sims of Alliance and 16 years-old Christina Heichelneck of Clay, lost their lives and more than 100 got injured.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) meteorologists on Monday confirmed that an EF-3 tornado, which packs the wind speeds of up to 150 mph, had hit Clay.

The storms brought golf ball-sized hail and winds gust of more than 60 mph wrecked trees, razed neighborhoods and damaged building in several places throughout the region.

As per Accuweather, Arkansas, Cleveland, Crittenden, Dallas, Lonoke and Prairie counties in Arkansas were reported to be hit by tornadoes. Chickasaw and Lauderdale in Mississippi and Dickson in Tennessee were also struck by tornadoes during the night.

In Alabama, Tuscaloosa, a region still recovering from the effects of a severe tornado that caused extensive damaged in April, 2011, was struck by deadly tornadoes. Powerful winds blew off the roof of a house in the Tuscaloosa County. The National Weather Service reported that an EF-2 tornado had struck in the Tuscaloosa County, Ala.

In Jefferson County, Ala., certain areas were struck by tornadoes. As per the local news reports, at least four were killed and several were injured. About 4.00 a.m. ET, a tornado destroyed a number of homes in the Paradise Valley region in Jefferson. The building of an elementary school in close by Center Point was also heavily damaged.

Nearby Clanton, Ala., a tornado was reported to have ruined radio transmission tower as well as the studio at about 8.00 a.m. ET.

Close to 9.00 a.m. ET, several power lines and trees were brought down by strong winds near Millbrook, Ala. Fences and structures of metals were also slashed apart in the area.

As per the Red Cross estimates, greater than 200 homes were destroyed in Alabama and hundreds of others were severely damaged. A state of emergency throughout Alabama was declared by the state government.

By midday Monday, the threat of further powerful storms and devastating tornadoes hitting the region reduced.

Flooding has occurred in several outlying New Orleans parishes. In the southern portion of Jefferson Parish, some homes were inundated with up to six or seven feet of water. The winds that came in with Lee have pushed water from the Gulf of Mexico inland and since the region is at or below sea level, the water has no where to go so it’s rushing into communities located along the coast.

The storm has dumped over a foot of rain in New Orleans when it came ashore yesterday. Lee is a very slow moving system which is complicating things as it is unloading extremely heavy rains. The system is threatening to create widespread flash flooding up in the Appalachians which may be very similar to what Hurricane Irene did in Vermont last week.

Lee is expected to grow weaker over the next few days but it can drop up to eight inches of rain as it moves across Alabama Tuesday and into Tennessee, Georgia and North Carolina. It will be a wet week in the southern states and forecasters are warning that the storm could spawn tornadoes Monday and Tuesday throughout the region. The system is leaving a big soggy mess behind as it crawls along at a snail’s pace through the south.

The upgraded levee systems in New Orleans appeared to have kept the city safe for the most part, but the victory is bittersweet for people living in nearby communities. In Jean Lafitte, the local bayou is five feet higher than normal which has resulted in many homes being flooded with several feet of water. Residents there have been building levees out of rocks and sandbagging but so far the storm system is winning.

Thankfully Lee has not been a weather monster but more of a Labor Day washout as it has closed most Gulf beaches for the holiday weekend. Cities and towns along the eastern seaboard which have been hit hard by Hurricane Irene are bracing for their turn as Lee moves north. Both Lee and Hurricane Katia could potentially impact the east coast sometime this week where thousands of home and business owners are still trying to mop up from the flood damage done by Hurricane Irene.

Irene is the first hurricane of the 2011 Atlantic hurricane season and it is looking as though it is going to be the first hurricane to hit the US since Ike thrashed the Texas coastline in 2008. Residents in Virginia are being told to keep an eye on developing weather reports concerning Irene. Depending on which way the storm moves once it zeroes in on the US, the central portion of Virginia could see heavy rainfall as the storm moves its way up the eastern coastline later Saturday and on through Sunday. The eastern portion of Virginia could receive the worst amount of damage with storm surges and flooding from heavy rains. Properties from Norfolk to DC could be impacted by the pending storm system.

The National Hurricane Center has said that the longer Irene remains over the Gulf Stream, the stronger and more perilous it will become. The area of Virginia near the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay is the portion of Virginia which is the most susceptible to hurricanes. If Irene sets her sights on this area, residents there should be prepared for severe storm surges. Flooding rain in the region is also very likely and in fact, some forecasters are warning residents in the area that Irene could bring in over five inches of rain.

Although Virginia’s coastal and eastern regions are especially at risk for a major storm like Irene, the impacts of the storm’s winds and flooding can adversely affect any part of the state. The best defense against the perils and destruction caused by hurricanes like this is to stay informed and to be prepared. Local and state officials can and will order evacuations if they believe Irene will be a safety concern or if they think it is going to cause serious damage. State residents are being urged to visit the state’s Dept. of Emergency Management website to learn how to prepare.

Virginians are also being reminded that homeowner’s insurance policies do not cover flooding. It takes thirty days for a flood insurance policy to take effect and if you wait until a few days before a hurricane strikes, it is too late to receive coverage. Residents living in areas prone to storm surges are being told to be ready to evacuate due to flooding if told to do so.

On Staten Island, flooded streets led to authorities warning residents and motorists to use extreme caution when out. There were many cars in Staten Island stuck on roadways – abandoned after their drivers attempted to drive through the deep water. New Jersey also experienced flash flooding although the water levels are not considered to be something to become overly concerned about.

A slow moving rain system is moving its way through New York and flash flood watches are in effect until at least Monday evening. The heavy rainfall and flooding Sunday was the cause of power outages and train service disruptions throughout metro New York. At JFK International Airport, 8 inches of rain fell Sunday night which is the most ever recorded there during a 24 hour period. The previous record was set back in the early 1980s at just over 6 inches, so says the National Weather Service.

The National Weather Service also is warning residents in the greater New York area that the rainfall can go on into Tuesday. New York City’s Dept. of Environmental Protection had two dozen maintenance crews working overnight as well as numerous emergency repair crews.

In Queens, many homes were inundated with flood water. In some areas of the borough, four feet of water were left standing in basements of homes and businesses. Many affected residents had nowhere to go as they were surprised by the flooding and by how quickly it rushed into their garages and basements. Two thousand Con Ed customers were left without power Sunday in Brooklyn because manholes flooded and the storms knocked down several power lines.

The American Red Cross is providing affected families with temporary housing in Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island. Many local beaches were shut down in the area due to concerns that bacteria could build up on them. News crews on Staten Island captured shocking video of motorists standing in waist to chest high water outside their vehicles at one intersection as several cars become totally submerged and had to be pulled to dry ground. Staten Island has had flooding problems in the past, but nothing on this scale. Many Staten Island residents report stagnant water in their basements due to poor drainage.

In these adverse times, one has to be really careful about protecting life and property from tropical storms and hurricanes. Hurricane winds blow at 100 miles per hour and water. The water surge can be as high as 20 feet, these cyclones are dangerous and it is better to prepared especially for the months between June and November which are earmarked as hurricane season.

1. You have to expect the worst because you never know which form or intensity natural hazard can take. So listen to hurricane warnings and prepare your house and household. Make sure your vehicle has enough gas so that you can get out quickly if your home is at risk. Stack up things or strengthen the doors and windows. Bring in things from the yard inside, which can fly away under the influence of high flying winds. In case, your family members are not at one place, make a plan as to how you will coordinate and reach a safe zone.
2. If there are mandatory evacuations to leave home, please heed to them. If you think that you can withstand the hurricane force, you may be terribly mistaken especially if the authorities are clear about the impact of the storm.
3. Leave early, so that you are not caught in traffic jam. Take along the necessary kit, including food provisions, clothes, prescription medicines, importance documents, insurance papers, jewelry etc. Bring out these that cannot be insured by the insurance company like collector items and pictures. Large items like TV, furniture may be difficult to move because they will only slow down the evacuation process. Get cash ahead of time because ATMs will not work due to power cut during storms.
4. In case, it is difficult to leave your house, it is better to stay indoors. Also one important thing- do not venture out if the hurricane eye passes by your house, because the strong winds can lash out once the eye away. Stay away from doors and windows and stay put at the center of the house. This is because the windows may fly in and debris may rush in. There may be no grocery for a week and no electricity as well, so make arrangements for this one week in advance. It goes without saying that one has to reinforce windows and doors for double protection. Taping the windows is just a myth and does not offer any protection. Also do not venture to the basement and attic because they are prone to damage.

The US state of North Carolina typically sees about 20 tornadoes a year. However, over this past weekend the state was hit by more than 60 twisters, part of a larger group of 243 twisters that tore across the southern US, killing dozens of people.

Over 100 people, both employees and shoppers were spared in Sanford, N.C. on Saturday inside a Lowe’s Home Improvement Store. The front half of that large store was crushed and totally demolished. Thanks to a quick thinking store manager who was doing what he were trained to do, everyone inside was ordered to the back of the building where there were fewer windows.

The severe weather that whipped across North Carolina brought with it flash flooding, hail and numerous tornadoes from the western portion of the state to the downtown area of Raleigh. A tornado found its favorite target in Raleigh – a mobile home park, shredding most of the trailers there and killing three family members. Eleven people lost their lives in Bertie County as homes were blown to bits, cars upturned and trees were pulled out from their roots.

Compared to the “Super Tuesday” tornado outbreak in early 2008 that killed 56 people in four southern US states, this past weekend’s storm activity spawned 243 tornadoes stretching from Oklahoma to Virginia. Of the 45 people who were killed, 22 of them were in North Carolina. Rescue teams are still searching for victims so that number may very well rise.

It is rare for the state of North Carolina to see such severe storm activity. Tornado-alley type twisters are linked to warm air from the south meeting cold fronts dipping down from Canada. However, residents throughout the state are reporting that they clearly saw twisters in the skies overhead as the storm heavily damaged over 100 homes and totally destroyed more than 60. Some residents describe seeing “Wizard of Oz” like scenes as heavy debris was flying through the air seemingly effortlessly. One couple in Balden County told the AP that it took them a few minutes after a twister passed by to realize that their home had been completely turned around on its foundation. Their house is now sitting in what used to be their backyard.

Tornado experts think that the deep dips of cold air into the south have chilled the region over the past two winters. They believe that this unusually cold air reaching south is what played a major role in this past weekend’s super storm cell that slammed North Carolina