On a Wednesday in mid-November, a single weather system tore through the American Midwest with severe storms, some of which may have spun off tornadoes, and then turned its attention eastward. The season's first real winter is now gathering over the Eastern states, carrying the possibility of up to ten inches of snow and freezing air to millions of people. It is the familiar pattern of the turning year: one front rising in the heartland while another, colder and heavier, waits on the coast, and the uncertainty of exactly where and how hard it will land.
Dangerous Midwest Storms, Including Possible Tornadoes, Precede First Winter Blast in the East
Possible tornadoes are not confirmed ones.
So what actually happened on Wednesday?
Severe storms hit the Midwest, and the report says they included possible tornadoes. At the same time, the system is heading east and is expected to bring the first winter weather of the season.
Why does it matter that it's the first blast?
It's the first time many people in the East will deal with snow and freezing temperatures this season. The report says millions will see sub-freezing temperatures, and up to 10 inches of snow is possible in some places.
I'd keep an eye on that phrase, possible tornadoes. Has anything been confirmed?
Not in this report. It says possible, and it doesn't give a count or any locations.
And the 10 inches?
That's the upper end, up to 10 inches in some places. It isn't a forecast for everyone, and the report doesn't say which places.
Is there any word on damage or injuries?
None. The report doesn't mention casualties or damage, so we shouldn't assume either way.
What should someone watch for next?
Whether tornado warnings continue and whether any of the storms are confirmed as tornadoes. Then the snow totals as the system reaches the East.
And local forecasts, because this report doesn't give timing or specific areas.
Der Puls
- Possible tornadoes ripped through the Midwest on Wednesday, and no one yet knows which of them were confirmed.
- A winter system carrying up to 10 inches of snow is sliding east toward millions of unprepared households.
- Sub-freezing temperatures are closing in behind the storms, turning a weather event into a daily hardship.
- Forecasters are watching tornado warnings and snow totals, while the precise landing zones remain unsettled.
On a Wednesday in mid-November, a single weather system tore through the American Midwest with severe storms, some of which may have spun off tornadoes, and then turned its attention eastward. The season's first real winter is now gathering over the Eastern states, carrying the possibility of up to ten inches of snow and freezing air to millions of people. It is the familiar pattern of the turning year: one front rising in the heartland while another, colder and heavier, waits on the coast, and the uncertainty of exactly where and how hard it will land.
On Wednesday, a line of dangerous storms swept across the Midwest, and some of them may have produced tornadoes. The same weather system is now moving east, where it is expected to deliver the first real taste of winter this season.
CBS News reports the Midwest storms as an outbreak with possible tornadoes, a careful choice of words. Possible is not the same as confirmed, and the report does not yet say where the storms hit, how many there were, or whether anyone was hurt.
The winter side of the system is more concrete. Some areas could see as much as 10 inches of snow, and sub-freezing temperatures are expected to settle over a region home to millions. The report does not name the hardest-hit states or cities, nor when the snow begins.
The forecast was presented by Rob Marciano for CBS News. What comes next depends on confirmations of the tornadoes and on how the snow actually falls, which will vary from place to place. For those in the East, local forecasts will hold the details this early report leaves open.
On Wednesday, a line of dangerous storms moved through the Midwest, and some of them may have produced tornadoes. The same weather system is now pointed east, where it is expected to bring the first blast of winter weather this season.
The report from CBS News is brief, and it is careful about what it claims. It describes the Midwest storms as an outbreak and says they included possible tornadoes. That wording matters. Possible tornadoes are not confirmed ones, and the report does not say where the storms struck, how many there were, or whether anyone was hurt or any property was damaged.
The larger system is the more concrete part of the forecast. In some places it could leave as much as 10 inches of snow. It is also expected to push sub-freezing temperatures across the region, affecting millions of people. The report does not name the states or cities likely to see the heaviest snow, and it does not say when the snow will start or how long it will last.
The pairing is what defines the story: severe storms in one part of the country and the East's first real taste of winter in another, both driven by the same system. The report credits the forecast to Rob Marciano, who presented it for CBS News.
What comes next depends on details the report leaves open. The first is whether any of the Wednesday storms are confirmed as tornadoes, and whether tornado warnings continue as the system moves. The second is how the snow totals play out. Ten inches is the upper end of what could fall, and the actual amounts will vary from place to place. For the millions facing freezing temperatures, local forecasts will have the specifics this early report does not.
Bemerkenswerte Zitate
The storm system could dump up to 10 inches of snow in some places, bringing sub-freezing temperatures to millions.— CBS News report