Sprawling storm drops feet of snow, knocks out power, disrupts thousands of flights with more danger to come

By Meteorologists Mary Gilbert, Briana Waxman, and Chris Dolce, and Chris Boyette

(CNN) — Severe thunderstorms are bubbling along the East Coast as blizzard conditions continue in parts of the Midwest in the final push of a multiday storm that’s caused damage and disruptions across the eastern United States.

The system kicked up a powerful line of storms with winds up to 80 mph in spots that stretched from the Gulf Coast up to the Great Lakes on Sunday.

The line of storms is now rumbling along the East Coast after damaging structures, knocking out power to hundreds of thousands and causing thousands of flight cancellations and delays along the way.

Here’s the latest:

• Severe storms: Millions along the East Coast are still at risk of severe thunderstorms through Monday evening, but the highest risk levels from earlier in the day were reduced. What would have been a worst-case wind damage scenario is looking less likely to come to pass, but some damage remains possible and a few short-lived tornadoes cannot be ruled out. Over 20 million people from South Carolina to Pennsylvania are still under a Level 3 of 5 risk of severe storms.
• Historic wind risk: Earlier, the US faced its highest chance for damaging winds from severe thunderstorms since 2018 — 60% — but the Storm Prediction Center lowered that probability late Monday afternoon. It was the first time on record Washington, DC, had been at of risk for damaging winds.

• Significant wind damage: There have been more than 500 reports of damaging wind gusts from Texas, Arkansas and Missouri to the East Coast since Sunday afternoon. There have been reports of minor injuries along with damaged or destroyed buildings in Arkansas and Tennessee.
• Heavy snow: Parts of the Upper Midwest and northern Great Lakes received 1 to 3 feet of snow from Sunday into Monday. Parts of the Great Lakes remain under blizzard warnings into Tuesday morning as strong winds and snow continue to create dangerous conditions.

• Flight cancellations: As of Monday afternoon, more than 4,100 flights within, into or out of the US were canceled on Monday, with more than 9,400 flights within, into or out of the US delayed, according to FlightAware.

• Power outages: As of Monday afternoon, more than 350,000 customers had no power across several states, according to PowerOutage.us, including over 100,000 in Michigan. Over half a million customers lost power during the peak of the outages.

• Schools impacted: School districts in Washington, DC, and farther south announced closures, delays or early dismissals in anticipation of dangerous weather. The largest school districts in Maryland and Virginia announced early dismissals, and school closures and delays have also been announced in Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Alabama and Florida, CNN affiliates reported.

Storms damage buildings, homes in the South

Lawrence County, Tennessee, saw “significant wind damage in and around the Bonnertown community” overnight, Emergency Management Agency spokesperson Bill Phillips told CNN, adding there have been reports of minor injuries.

In Rector, Arkansas, the city maintenance shop and office building were demolished, Mayor Shawn Brandon told CNN. Most of a nearby home was also destroyed and a city park saw some damage. Officials there are still waiting for the National Weather Service to confirm whether the area was hit by a tornado.

Storms flattened at least one structure and tore off roofs in central Kentucky’s Hardin County overnight Sunday. “Numerous properties were damaged in the storms last night, concentrated mostly in the Rineyville area,” but no deaths or injuries were reported, county Communications Officer Brian Walker told CNN in an email.

Buildings and properties in the county seat of Elizabethtown and other incorporated areas were damaged as well, Walker said. The National Weather Service is reviewing the damage to determine whether it was caused by straight-line winds or tornadoes.

On Sunday, the system produced at least one reported tornado near Humphrey in Arkansas County, Arkansas, according to the Storm Prediction Center. Hail up to the size of tennis balls pelted east Texas.

Historic snow, blizzard conditions

While the southern, warmer side of the storm is generating severe thunderstorm concerns, the cold, northern side has been busy dumping a lot of snow.

Snow totals from the storm are between 1 and 3 feet so far from southern Minnesota into central Wisconsin and northern Michigan. They could climb a bit higher in some areas as blizzard conditions continue from eastern Wisconsin to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The worst of the storm should ease by early evening.

Wausau, Wisconsin, picked up 23.4 inches on Sunday, making it the city’s snowiest day in about 130 years of records.

A snow emergency is in effect Monday for Milwaukee County, County Executive David Crowley announced on X. Non-essential departments are closed, including the courthouse and zoo.

After shutting down Interstate 80 both ways from around Iowa City to near Nebraska on Sunday, Iowa authorities reopened the highway Monday morning, but cautioned drivers that roadways may still be impacted by snow and ice.

In Wisconsin, many roads in northern counties were impassable Sunday, the state’s transportation department said, urging everyone in the region to avoid driving. And in Michigan, state police on Sunday said the Upper Peninsula’s Mackinac Bridge was closed and nearby roads across Cheboygan County were “impassable.”

Marquette, Michigan, is no stranger to high totals of lake-effect snow, but this storm could be one of its biggest ever. The city’s largest two-day storm total on record stands at about 32 inches from a March 1997 storm. It’s forecast to get anywhere from 2 to 4 feet of snow from the current storm.

This story has been updated with additional information.

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CNN Meteorologist Brandon Miller contributed to this report.