Page 6 - ARUBA TODAY

A6 U.S. NEWS
Tuesday 20 March 2018

Damaging hail and tornadoes threatened for southeast US

inches (7 1/2 centimeters) ingredients coming togeth-
in diameter could fall, and er," Weber added. "Hope-
there's a possibility of wind fully not, but definitely a
gusts to 70 mph (115 kph). possibility."
Forecasters already have He said golf ball to ten-
reported hail in Mississippi, nis ball-sized hail, which
and they issued a tornado can do serious damage
warning for a section of to buildings and cars, was
northwestern Alabama. possible.
"The potential for strong to "This is one of those days
violent, long-track torna- you want to put the car in
does is a real possibility," the garage if you can," We-
Alabama state meteorolo- ber said.
gist Jim Stefkovic said at a Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey
news conference. urged Alabamians to im-
Alabama Emergency Man- plement safety plans and
agement Executive Opera- get in a safe location.
tions Officer Jeff Smither- “We are not taking the
man raised the threat level situation lightly,” Ivey said.
and increased staffing at “Severe weather is unpre-
Alabama's emergency dictable and that is why it
management agency. The is paramount we prepare
storms are the first severe ahead of time.”
weather to threaten the The University of Alabama
state this year. suspended operations
School systems from central Monday from 6:30 p.m. to
Tennessee as far south as midnight, meaning classes
Birmingham, Alabama, let and campus activities were
Clouds and wind move through the Atlanta area, Monday, March 19, 2018. More than 29 million
people, including millions in Atlanta, face a threat of severe storms that could bring large, dam- out early, hoping students cancelled, libraries closed
aging winds and strong tornadoes to the southeastern United States, forecasters said. and staff would have time and shelters were opened
(AP Photo/Alex Sanz) to get home before the on campus. In Georgia, the
storms moved through. highest risk of tornadoes will
By JEFF MARTIN Georgia and Tennessee mingham and Huntsville, The threatened storms be in northwest Georgia, in-
Associated Press and a small portion of plus smaller areas in north- come one day before the cluding the cities of Dalton,
ATLANTA (AP) — Forecast- northeast Mississippi contin- eastern Mississippi and official start of spring, and Rome and Cartersville.
ers warned Monday that ued under a severe weath- southern Tennessee. It was are "by far the most impres- North and central Geor-
severe storms develop- er threat Monday evening, to expire at 11 p.m. CDT. sive setup we've seen so far gia could see showers and
ing in the Southeast could the nation's Storm Predic- Forecasters said the storm this year," said Kurt Weber, thunderstorms overnight,
threaten more than 29 tion Center said. threat is unusually danger- a meteorologist at the Na- some with the potential for
million people, raising the The National Weather ous because of the possi- tional Weather Service in hail, gusty winds or torna-
risk of powerful tornadoes, Service issued a tornado bility of several tornadoes, Huntsville, Alabama. does, said Lauren Merritt, a
damaging winds and hail watch Monday afternoon some of which could be "We can't rule out a strong meteorologist with the Na-
the size of tennis balls. for all of north Alabama, intense. The weather ser- tornado east of Interstate tional Weather Service in
Large parts of Alabama, including the cities of Bir- vice says hail as large as 3 65 at this point with all the Peachtree City.q

Battered East braces for wintry wallop on 1st day of spring

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Thursday, the National ing pattern that brings Officials are cautioning you tend to get these serial
fourth nor'easter in three Weather Service said. plenty of moisture from the against unnecessary travel storms, one after the other,"
weeks is set to smack the Sleet and freezing rain are south up the East Coast, Wednesday afternoon and weather.us meteorologist
East Coast on the first day expected Tuesday after- said Brian Hurley, senior evening, when snow could Ryan Maue said, adding
of spring. noon, the first day of spring. forecaster at the National be falling as much as 3 that Europe will get the
The bulk of the dangerous, On Wednesday, about 6 to Weather Service's Weather inches an hour. same drumbeat of storms a
wind-driven snow and sleet 9 inches of snow is expect- Prediction Center. Widespread power outag- few days later.
is expected to wallop New ed, with some areas get- Four nor'easters in three es are possible, especially But "the calendar is catch-
Jersey, Maryland, Dela- ting nearly a foot. weeks is highly unusual, but Wednesday, with gusts of ing up to spring," Maue
ware and parts of eastern The jet stream, the upper it happens when a pattern up to 35 mph at times. said. "Thankfully, you're go-
Pennsylvania before head- level river of air that guides locks in. And that's hap- "Upper level patterns like ing to see some spring pret-
ing off to Nantucket early weather, is stuck in a plung- pened, Hurley said. this tend to repeat and ty soon."q