Extreme drought shows no signs of releasing its grip on North Dakota, despite recent cooler weather and widespread rainfall.
The latest U.S. Drought Monitor map, released Thursday, shows 85% percent of North Dakota in extreme drought, the second-worst of four categories. That s up slightly from 83% last week. Extreme drought blankets the western and central portions of the state, with most of the Red River Valley in moderate or severe drought. Areas of extreme drought expanded in northern South Dakota and southern North Dakota, wrote Western Regional Climate Center Associate Research Scientist David Simeral and Climate Prediction Center Meteorologist Richard Tinker.
Damaging Storms To Move Through Eastern, Southern U.S. Into Tuesday Night Tuesday, May 4, 2021 AccuWeather forecasters warn that yet another wave of severe weather is expected to strike storm-weary areas of the United States. The threat zone will cover an area of more than 1,000 miles from the lower Mississippi Valley and Southeast to the upper Ohio Valley into Tuesday night and storms in these areas will be capable of producing more tornadoes. Tornado-ravaged Mississippi will lie within the heart of the severe weather risk area, along with the major metro areas of New Orleans, Nashville and Atlanta. Atlanta has already had a tumultuous beginning of the week when a suspected tornado caused damage very close to downtown.
Crazy close tornado video from drone. I had to make a quick getaway and drone didn’t make it as it got caught in the inflow and I lost connection as tornado was cutting me off from the drone. #mswx#tornadopic.twitter.com/5S2IkOpeHs
And there were reports of a tornado touching down in Tompkinsville, Kentucky on Monday.
Emergency officials in Monroe County reported significant damage to more than 30 homes, according to WKRN-TV. Uprooted trees, downed power lines, and massive gusts of wind destroyed at least five of those homes.
AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Tyler Roys warned that the Southeast can expect to see flooding downpours, hail, damaging wind gusts, and a few tornadoes.
AccuWeather Global Weather Center – April 15, 2021
A developing nor easter was beginning to bear down on the Northeast on Thursday, bringing major weather changes to the region. AccuWeather
meteorologists, who have been keeping tabs on the storm all week, warn that it will strengthen quickly enough to unleash a soaking rain and colder air in New England and the upper part of the mid-Atlantic and a heavy snowfall in the higher elevations in true nor easter fashion into Friday.
A nor easter is simply any large storm that brings northeasterly winds along the Atlantic coast of North America, according to the National Weather Service (NWS) definition.
Blizzard warnings in effect as big storm barrels eastward
Alex Sosnowski
January 12, 2021, 8:35 AM
A big storm that already lashed parts of the Northwest, Rockies and High Plains with fierce winds was barreling eastward and intensifying on Thursday, threatening all manner of winter weather. Winds as high as 125 mph were reported in the high country of Montana. The storm will not only bring a major comeback of winter weather following unusually mild conditions across the Midwest, but it will also unleash high winds and heavy snow along with a sharp blast of cold air.
Blizzard warnings were in effect from parts of northwestern Missouri to central Minnesota and parts of the Dakotas Thursday morning, and the National Weather Service in Des Moines, Iowa, warned that travel may be impossible at times Thursday including around the I-35 corridor of the state.