Intense weather left states bracing

Last week brought significant weather patterns throughout the country—blizzards in the upper midwest and west, and tornado threats for the south according to PBS. 

Last Tuesday, most of the central United States prepared and anticipated intense blizzard conditions. A large area from Montana to Nebraska and Colorado was buried under blizzard warnings, bracing themselves for the possibility of two feet of snow.

Dangerous sleet and freezing rain were expected in eastern Great Plain states like the Dakotas and Nebraska. In Minnesota, South Dakota, and Iowa there were reports of the possibility of half an inch of ice forming and wind blowing at 45mph. 

According to the Minnesota DNR, parts of Minnesota got anywhere between a low of three inches of snow in southern Minnesota  to a high of 40 inches in Finland, Minnesota. St.Cloud, Minnesota reported 12.4 inches. Schools were closed throughout the state due to heavy snow and blizzard-like weather. The Minnesota DNR also reported that this high amount of snowfall was beyond what is normally expected for winter storms.

While the north was bracing for blizzard conditions, the south was bracing for tornados, strong winds, and other intense weather. Eastern Texas braced for intense wind, tornadoes, hail, and flash flooding. Mississippi and Louisiana were also at high risk for severe and intense storms last Tuesday. Tornado warnings were also in effect in Oklahoma and Northern Texas. 

Damage was reported in Oklahoma after there was a confirmed Tornado touchdown on Tuesday. 

The threat of intense weather continued for the Florida Panhandle, Mississippi, Alabama, and Louisiana.

Fox News Weather reported that there was a tornado touchdown in New Orleans on Wednesday, December 21st that killed at least three people and many more injured.

There were several videos of the damaging tornado, including one posted to twitter by Rob Marciano, the meteorologist of ABC News and Good Morning America.

This intense weather is actually a part of the same system that covered the Sierra Nevada with heavy snow before it moved eastward. 

In northern Utah the snowfall caused a tour bus to crash Monday morning. The highway patrol released information reporting that 23 passengers were injured, some very seriously.

The Weather Channel reported that much of the country is far out of the clear for winter weather. A massive winter storm named Winter Storm Elliot is making his entrance just in time for Christmas. Elliot has the chance to bring intense blizzard like conditions to much of the Midwest and high, bitter cold, winds to the East. Elliot could even bring cold winds to the normally warm Texas, Floria, and Gulf coast.

Winter storm Elliot is expected to make his arrival in Pacific Northwest on Tuesday where the winter storm will then travel to the Midwest on Wednesday. It is in the Midwest where Elliot is expected to bring a frigid cold front, heavy winds and even more heavy snow.

Winter storm Elliot is expected to double down on Thursday and bring more heavy snow and rain, before spreading strong winds southward. Elliot will also bring the east snow, freezing rain, and sleet on Thursday.

It is on Friday that Elliot is expected to peak, where he will bring the western Great Lakes blizzard conditions, high winds, and heavy snow.

By Saturday, Winter Storm Elliot is expected to move into Canada.

While it cannot be predicted with 100% accuracy, Winter Storm Elliot has the potential to bring well over a foot of snow, on top of the high snowfalls that fell last week. The highest amounts of snow are expected to fall in western Great Lakes states, Wisconsin, northern Indiana, and Michigan.

Winter storm Elliot is expected to greatly effect holiday travel, with many delays anticipated throughout the country as well as possible dangerous road conditions.

While Wednesday, December 21st is the official start date of the winter season, winter weather has already made its grand entrance in an intense fashion.