America’s Heartland Experiences Severe Weather as it Attempts to Recover from Flooding
While recovery work is ongoing in parts of the Midwest and Southeast that were recently hit by a fatal storm and floods, homeowners now face a renewed chance of severe weather on Thursday as they attempt to sort through the debris.
The severe weather caused at least 25 fatalities in seven states, including flooding in Kentucky and tornadoes in Tennessee, Missouri, Indiana, Arkansas, and Mississippi.
Clusters of thunderstorms are predicted to form on Thursday across parts of the Tennessee Valley, the Deep South, and the mid-South, all of which were severely affected by the severe weather, according to the FOX Forecast Center.
The hazard isn’t as significant as before last week’s tragic severe weather outbreak, even if there is a fresh chance of intense storms. On Thursday, strong storms might affect over 34 million people.
However, on its 5-point severe thunderstorm risk scale, NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center (SPC) rated about 14 million people as dangerous for a Level 2 storm.
This covers Atlanta, Georgia; Birmingham and Huntsville, Alabama; and Memphis and Chattanooga, Tennessee.
According to the FOX Forecast Center, a cold front coming south from the Midwest and the direction of the jet stream over the US will be the primary forces behind storm formation.
Although few tornadoes are possible, destructive wind gusts and giant hail are the most significant hazards from storms that develop on Thursday.
President Trump authorized emergency disaster designations for Arkansas, Tennessee, and Kentucky to enable the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to offer more assistance to towns struggling with the magnitude of the historic tragedy.
In Kentucky, state and municipal authorities, including the National Guard and Kentucky State Police, have been putting great effort into ensuring public safety and have advised citizens to stay away from travel until all of the water has subsided.
At a press conference earlier this week, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear stated that the main issue was the number of individuals still attempting to drive on state roadways and roads.
He brought up a tale from the local news about someone who had to be rescued after driving around a roadblock.
“When you do that, you endanger not just your life but also the lives of everyone who is trying to save you,” Beshear stated. “People must wait this out.”
Tennessee residents are being forced to evacuate because of the record flooding that has afflicted areas in the Ohio and Mississippi valleys.
Due to the severe flooding effects in the area, Dyer County Mayor David Quick issued mandatory evacuation orders for Cocklebur and the neighboring villages in Bogota this week.
According to Tennessee authorities, ten counties have finished Joint Preliminary Damage Assessments, and damage assessments are still being conducted throughout the state.
According to an update from officials, the findings of these evaluations aid in determining if the damage satisfies the legal conditions for a federal primary disaster designation to be requested. Usually, a declaration is made based on the event’s scale and severity and whether the impacted areas can recover independently without outside assistance.
Before cleanup activities, residents are requested to document any losses and take pictures of any damage to their houses or property.
