A powerful storm system wreaked havoc across Oklahoma and Kansas, leaving widespread wind gusts and reported tornadoes in its wake. Injuries were reported, with a dozen confirmed weather-related injuries in Norman, Oklahoma, but fortunately none of them were considered critical. The damage was assessed by officials, and crews were dispatched to look for others who might be injured. Possible tornadoes and widespread wind gusts up to 90 mph (144 kilometers) caused downed trees and power lines, road closures and damage to homes around Norman and Shawnee.
In Kansas, a tornado touched down near Liberal, and over a dozen homes were reported damaged. The severe weather threat remained on Monday, with thunderstorms expected to produce damaging gusts across the Ohio Valley. The Storm Prediction Center warned that at least a few tornadoes were possible, particularly across Ohio on Monday afternoon.
Meanwhile, in Michigan, some residents were facing a fifth-straight day without power after last week’s ice storm. About 168,000 homes and businesses were still without power as of Sunday evening. Leah Thomas, a Michigan resident whose home lost power, was still waiting for electricity to be restored. Thomas expressed gratitude for being able to stay at her parents’ home, which still has power, but noted that some of her neighbors who had left town for mid-winter break might be returning to burst water pipes and flooded basements.
In California, a series of winter storm systems were moving into the state through Wednesday after residents got a brief break from severe weather on Sunday. The National Weather Service warned of the continuing winter storms.
Residents in suburban Santa Clarita, in hills north of Los Angeles, received their first significant snowfall since 1989. A resident, Cesar Torres, said, “We went outside and we let our sons play in the snow…We figured, while the snow’s there, might as well make a snowman out of it.”
