HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) – A powerful storm system swept across the eastern United States over the weekend, leaving hundreds of thousands without power as high winds decimated infrastructure and caused widespread damage. As of Saturday afternoon, nearly 600,000 customers remained without electricity in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Michigan, according to PowerOutage.us, a resource that tracks outages nationwide.
The storm's intensity was highlighted by a recorded gust of 66 mph (106 kph) at Pittsburgh International Airport on Friday, marking the fourth-strongest wind event on record not associated with a thunderstorm, as reported by the National Weather Service. Cleveland Burke Lakefront Airport experienced even more severe conditions, with winds reaching 85 mph (137 km) that same afternoon.
The strong winds were responsible for significant damage across the region. A gas station canopy was ripped off in New Franklin, Ohio, while an auto parts store sign was blown down in Baldwin, Pennsylvania. Additionally, numerous trees and tree limbs fell onto homes and cars in areas ranging from Cleveland to Pittsburgh. In the Chicago suburb of Niles, Illinois, winds severely damaged the roof of a school building, adding to the chaos of the weather events.
In Nebraska, high winds ignited several wildfires across expansive ranges and grasslands, resulting in one confirmed death in Arthur County. The identity of the victim has not yet been disclosed, and details surrounding the incident remain scarce. The Morrill County fire, as deemed by state officials, has consumed at least 708 square miles (approximately 1,834 square kilometers) across four counties since Thursday, leading to the destruction of at least 12 structures, according to the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency.
The hazardous winds represent just one aspect of a complex weather system affecting a wide variety of locations. For instance, heavy rains are currently impacting Hawaii, while Phoenix is bracing for an upcoming spell of triple-digit temperatures. Additionally, winter is making a resurgence in the Midwest and Northeast, with Chicago forecasted to approach single-digit Fahrenheit temperatures by Tuesday, and Minneapolis expected to see lows around zero (minus 18 C).
Snow emergencies have already been declared in several Minnesota cities ahead of what is anticipated to be the season’s largest snowfall starting on Sunday. Wisconsin and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula are also expected to experience the brunt of the winter weather. AccuWeather has characterized the impending event as a “potent triple-threat March megastorm,” predicting severe conditions from Sunday into Monday.
AccuWeather senior meteorologist John Feerick emphasized the active nature of the weather over the weekend, noting, “It’s definitely a very active weather weekend, that’s for sure.” He elaborated that the pattern currently in place is highly amplified, leading to numerous extreme weather conditions both in the continental U.S. and in Hawaii, which is being battered by heavy rainfall.
Feerick cautioned that individuals in regions along the Wisconsin-Iowa border should prepare for potentially icy conditions, as travel could become perilous in various parts of the Upper Midwest.
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Mark Scolforo And Margery A. Beck, The Associated Press
