Taking a Look Back at the Severe Weather That Swept Across the U.S. This Week

Posted: April 7, 2023 3:54 pm

It was another week of deadly weather across the U.S. As the week comes to a close, here is a look back at some of the biggest weather headlines of the last several days.

Tornadic Activity Kills at Least Five in Missouri

At least six people lost their lives at the hands of a multifaceted storm system that unleashed across the central portion of the country. In addition to the typical spring weather hazards of tornadoes, large hail, and strong winds, the storm also delivered over 5 feet of snow in some places.

Five of the fatalities are being blamed on a tornadic outbreak on Tuesday and Wednesday. The system produced about a dozen reports of tornadoes along with hail the size of softballs across the Midwest and the southern half of the U.S.

The National Weather Service (NWS) Storm Prediction Center (SPC) is still in the process of assigning official values to the tornadoes. Early data indicates that a twister with a rating of EF2 or EF3 was responsible for the significant damage in southeastern Missouri early Wednesday. This tornado in Bollinger County was responsible for the five deaths. The storm cells also led to several injuries in the town of Glenallen.

The severe weather fired up again a few hours later near Louisville, Kentucky. Early reports indicate an EF1 tornado in Newburg, ushering in winds of nearly 80 mph. While there were no confirmed fatalities with this tornado, Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg said that one person was hospitalized after a roof was torn off an apartment building in the south part of the city.

Earlier in the week, the NWS was able to confirm a EF2 tornado in Colona, Illinois. Located near the border of Illinois and Iowa, Colona’s twister packed maximum sustained winds of 120 mph, triggering substantial damage across the heart of the town center.

Hail Reports

Hail was also a significant issue with this week’s storms. The hail machine started up Tuesday afternoon with balls the size of 4 inches of diameter reported in Davenport, Iowa. This is the approximate size of a softball.

Slightly smaller hail measuring 3.25 inches in diameter was recorded to the southwest in Newark, Missouri. Tuesday was also a treacherous day in the suburbs of Chicago with reports of hail ranging from the size of quarters to golf balls falling. Hail of this magnitude can cause serious damage to car windshields and roofs as well as structural damage.

Gusty Winds Whip Through the Storm Cells

Strong winds were the primary issue for some parts of the country. Hurricane force winds were the story for areas in Iowa with a gust of 90 mph record at the Quad-City Airport on Tuesday morning.

The Chicago area lived up to its reputation as the Windy City as the storms approached the metropolitan area Wednesday morning. A wind gust topping 50 mph was reported near the city. This wind was partially responsible for numerous flight delays and cancellations at Chicago O’Hare International Airport. The bulk of the disruptions happened on Tuesday and Wednesday with over 1,000 delays and a few hundred cancellations over the course of these two days.

Northern Edge of the Multifaceted System Dumped Heavy Snow

It was a completely different weather story on the northern edge of the system. Colder air in place supported the development of heavy snow throughout much of the northern Plains and the Upper Midwest. The strong winds paired with the snow to create blizzard conditions, shutting down numerous roadways, closing schools, and leading to other life disruptions.

Over 65 inches of new snow was recorded in a large zone stretching from Utah to Wisconsin. The North Dakota Department of Transportation (NDDOT) was forced to close many major highways on Tuesday night because of deteriorating conditions. In addition to the blizzard conditions, the weather maker also brought in ice that coated roadways and sidewalks.

Prior to moving into the Dakotas, the system dumped heavy snow in the Intermountain West. The resort town of Alta, Utah near Salt Lake City recorded 67 inches of snow on Wednesday morning. Moving to the east, snow hit the 2-foot barrier in numerous locations in Wyoming, Montana, and South Dakota.

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