US: Severe storms sweep across central and eastern regions

A storm system through the central and eastern United States is posing a threat of severe weather. A weather forecasting service highlighted the persisting threat into Tuesday (Apr 3) night local time spanning from northern Indiana and Ohio to the Chesapeake Bay region.

The preceding weekend also witnessed the system's impact on Southern California. There were heavy rains and a sizable hail in Illinois as well as flooding in the Midwest.

Among those US states that were affected on Monday (Apr 2) were Oklahoma, Texas, Illinois, and Missouri.

Add WION as a Preferred Source

As many as 9 million individuals were under a severe thunderstorm watch. The National Weather Service cautioned of potentially damaging hail and fierce wind gusts reaching up to 80 mph in certain areas.

Notably, three tornadoes hit Oklahoma on Monday evening. These were accompanied by numerous tornado warnings across the state.

Also Read |‘No joke’: Botswana threatens to send thousands of elephants to Germany over hunting row

In addition to tornadoes, the mid-Atlantic region, including Maryland, West Virginia, and Virginia braced for showers and thunderstorms. The weather pattern raised concerns of flash flooding, especially in urban areas and along roadways.

Also Read |NATO chief weighs in on 'multi-year' commitments to support Ukraine for 'long haul'

Texas also got its share of extreme weather, with central areas witnessing large hail. They were accompanied by wind gusts nearing 90 mph.

A wind advisory was also issued where the people were cautioned against difficult driving conditions.

Watch |US government asks NASA to create time zones for the moon

Tuesday's forecast suggested an escalation of severe weather across the Midwest and Ohio Valley. It is expected to extend into the central Gulf Coast states.

Meanwhile, the storm system threatened the Northeast with an impending winter storm. It is anticipated to bring powerful winds and snow lasting through the week.

"Wind damage and isolated large hail will be possible across a broad area," the weather service reportedly said. "The tornado threat is expected to be greatest from middle Tennessee north-northeastward into central and northern Kentucky."

In California, a section of Highway 1 remained closed due to a partial collapse caused by heavy rain.

(With inputs from agencies)