WeatherFanatics: LIVE: Thousands Without Power in Midwest Amid Storms

Thursday, February 20, 2014

LIVE: Thousands Without Power in Midwest Amid Storms

By Kristen Rodman, AccuWeather.com Staff Writer

February 20,2014; 2:42PM,EST

Threatening millions of people throughout the central United States and along the Atlantic coast, severe weather will move northeastward and spread over the Missouri and Mississippi valleys Thursday.
Thunderstorms, damaging winds, flash flooding and even isolated tornadoes are all threats that this storm system will bring.
The storms will stretch from Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama to Illinois, Indiana and Ohio, as well as some of lower Michigan.
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Flight delays are likely throughout the region, including some of the U.S.'s major cities in the path of the storm including, Kansas City, St. Louis, Indianapolis, Cincinnati, Nashville, Memphis, Little Rock, Ark., Louisville, Ky., Jackson, Miss., and Monroe, La.
Into Friday, the storm will move eastward threatening areas along the Atlantic coast, from the Delmarva Peninsula down to Raleigh, N.C., Charleston, S.C., and Jacksonville, Fla.
For the full story on the severe storms, read here.

UPDATES: (All times are listed in EST)

7:10 p.m. EST Thursday: An NWS observer reports flash flooding and a funnel cloud in Springerton, Ill.
6:55 p.m. EST Thursday: For the latest updates on the severe weather, watch this evening's edition of AccuWeather LIVE:
6:45 p.m. EST Thursday: A NWS observer reports 5.3 inches of snow in Hudson, Wis., approximately 18 miles from St. Paul, Minn.

6:30 p.m. EST Thursday: A funnel cloud was reported by an NWS observer northeast of Johnston City, Ill.
6:15 p.m. EST Thursday: NWS observer reports dense fog in Montgomery, Ill.
5:55 p.m. EST Thursday: NWS observer reports 4 inches of snow in Holstein, Iowa.
5:40 p.m. EST Thursday: Golf-ball sized hail and tree damage reported in Hornersville, Mo., according to law enforcement.
5:20 p.m. EST Thursday: A thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado is heading for downtown Memphis, Tenn.
5:05 p.m. EST Thursday: As we move into the early evening hours, the greatest concern for severe thunderstorms capable of producing isolated tornadoes will reside from northern Mississippi northward through western Tennessee, western Kentucky, southeastern Illinois and southern Indiana, said AccuWeather.com Meteorologist Erik Pindrock.
"Memphis, Tenn., Jackson, Tenn., Paducah, Ky., and Evansville, Ky., are some cities that will have to be watched over the next several hours," he said.
4:50 p.m. EST Thursday: More than 4,500 Arkansas customers are without electricity, utilities said. They include: 3,531 Entergy Arkansas; 553 Arkansas Valley Electric Cooperative; 411 Southwestern Electric Power Company; and 19 First Electric Cooperative.
4:40 p.m. EST Thursday: At least 4,000 Illinois electric customers were without power, utilities report. They include: 3,910 Ameren Illinois and 79 ComEd.
4:30 p.m. EST Thursday: At least 2,000 Iowa customers are without power, various utilities report. They include: 1,147 Alliant Energy; 929 Mid American Energy; and 118 members of Iowa electric cooperatives.
4:25 p.m. EST Thursday: It looks as if the best chance for a strong gusty t-storm in Chicago will be between 5 and 8 p.m., local time, AccuWeather.com Senior Meteorologist Dan Kottlowski said.
4:20 p.m. EST Thursday: Flooding reported at Fort Madison High School, Fort Madison, Iowa, NWS spotter said.
4:15 p.m. EST Thursday: Tornado touchdown near Arenzville, Ill., at 2:55 p.m., local time, emergency management reported.
4:10 p.m. EST Thursday: More than 3,500 electric customers in Missouri are without power: 1,730 http://apps.ameren.com/outage/outagemap.aspx?state=MO; 800 KCP&L; 615 Empire District; and 183 Co-Mo Electric Cooperative.
3:50 p.m. EST Thursday: For the most current updates on the severe weather, watch the latest edition of AccuWeather LIVE:
3:50 p.m. EST Thursday: Flooding with 1 foot of water reported between Altona and Oneida, Ill., NWS cooperative observer said.
3:45 p.m. EST Thursday: The brick storefront of an old, unoccupied store was blown down in Stephens, Ark., at around 1:30 p.m., local time, emergency management in Quachita County, Ark., reported to the National Weather Service.
3:40 p.m. EST Thursday: A broken line of gusty thunderstorms will cross St. Louis from west to east during the next two hours and be on top of the city around 3:30 p.m., local time, AccuWeather.com Meteorologist Erik Pindrock said.
3:30 p.m. EST Thursday: AccuWeather.com meteorologists are monitoring the possibility for a few tornadoes from southern Illinois and southern Indiana southward into northern Mississippi over the next several hours.
3:15 p.m. EST Thursday: 58 mph wind gust, three miles west-northwest of Hannibal, Mo., according to NWS observation.
3:10 p.m. EST Thursday: Rainy travel on Interstate 20 near Shreveport, La., where a line of thunderstorms passed through the area.

2:40 p.m. EST Thursday: Storms northwest of St. Louis moving toward west-central Illinois are showing signs of bowing, which may lead to high winds.
2:00 p.m. EST Thursday: Thunderstorms are beginning to fire up in northeastern Texas.

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