OMAHA, Neb. — A powerful weather system surged across the central United States on Wednesday, generating severe blizzard conditions in parts of the Midwest and Great Plains, while neighboring regions faced a significant risk of high winds and wildfires.
Approximately 72 million individuals were under a wind advisory or warning due to wind gusts exceeding 45 mph (72 kph), according to a meteorologist from the National Weather Service. At this time of year, the clash between cold northern air and warm southern air creates potent low pressure systems. The current weather disturbance is the third such storm system in recent weeks with high winds affecting significant portions of the U.S., indicating a “very active pattern” since February.
Over the weekend, the storm system proved catastrophic, resulting in at least 42 fatalities as tornadoes, dust storms, and wildfires wreaked havoc, uprooting trees and flattening hundreds of homes and businesses across eight states in the South and Midwest.
The storm prompted snowfall across a wide area extending from southwestern Kansas to central Wisconsin. Forecasts warned of snow accumulation ranging between 2 to 12 inches (5 to 30 centimeters) combined with strong winds leading to potential whiteout conditions.
Kansas faced significant transportation disruptions, as over 250 miles (400 kilometers) of Interstate 70 were closed from the Colorado border eastward to Salina. Fortunately, by Wednesday night, most of the interstate had reopened due to improvements in road conditions. This closure followed last week’s high winds in western Kansas that resulted in a deadly 71-car pileup.
In south-central Nebraska, blizzard conditions brought near-zero visibility early Wednesday, prompting the state patrol to urge residents to stay off the roads. Significant road closures included over 160 miles (255 kilometers) of I-80 and nearly 70 miles (115 kilometers) of I-29 along the Nebraska-Iowa border, with incidents of stalled vehicles, jackknifed semis, crashes, and downed power lines contributing to the chaos.
Around the Iowa-Illinois border, snowfall exceeded an inch per hour with gusts reaching 30 mph (48 kph), according to the National Weather Service. The intense snow and winds downed trees and snapped power lines, leaving more than 140,000 customers without electricity across Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas, Tennessee, and Indiana.
Fire hazards also loomed in regions unburdened by snow. Strong wind gusts coupled with dry conditions heightened wildfire potential from Texas and Oklahoma through Arkansas and Missouri. The fire risk had escalated on Tuesday and lingered into Wednesday with renewed danger in parts of Oklahoma still recovering from blazes initiated on Friday. Over 400 homes were significantly damaged or destroyed, and at least four individuals perished due to fires or severe winds.
The Texas A&M Forest Service responded to 14 new wildfires on Tuesday, burning approximately 29 square miles (75 square kilometers) across Texas. A notable incident involved a fire near Borger in the Texas Panhandle, which necessitated evacuations and threatened over 1,000 homes, but was largely controlled before causing substantial damage within the city limits.
That fire, initially covering 350 acres (140 hectares), expanded to an estimated 500 acres (200 hectares) by Wednesday night and was 75% contained. Emergency crews also managed multiple blazes in Arkansas, where wind conditions increased the threat. Four homes in southwest Little Rock sustained heavy damage, though no injuries were reported. The city’s fire chief emphasized adherence to a burn ban to prevent further incidents.
Elsewhere, part of Interstate 530 near Little Rock was temporarily closed due to smoke from a grass fire, although traffic resumed by evening. Wind gusts in the midsection of Arkansas reached up to 59 mph (95 kph), adding to the region’s environmental challenges.
New Mexico faced similar weather turmoil, with dust storms forcing road closures and causing power outages. Forecasters warned of renewed critical fire weather conditions anticipated on Thursday.
Severe thunderstorms posed additional hazards in central Illinois, with predictions of hail, strong winds, and possible tornadoes. Both Illinois and Indiana faced elevated storm risks, albeit to a lesser degree in southern regions toward the Tennessee Valley.
The ongoing storm is expected to push a cold front towards the Eastern Seaboard by Thursday, potentially bringing heavy snowfall to higher elevations in New England.
