A harsh cold descended on the nation’s midsection Monday as a polar vortex gripped the Rockies and Northern Plains after winter storms pummeled the eastern United States over the weekend, killing at least 13 people, including at least 11 in Kentucky who died during flooding caused by heavy rains.
The National Weather Service issued a warning of “life-threatening cold” on Monday, as wind chills dropped to minus 60 Fahrenheit in parts of North Dakota and minus 50 Fahrenheit in Montana. Tuesday morning was expected to be even colder.
Extreme cold warnings were issued for 11 states ranging from the Canadian border to Oklahoma and central Texas, where the Arctic front was expected to bring near-record low temperatures and wind chills in the single digits by midweek.
Furthermore, the weather service stated, “Heavy snow will move from the northern Rockies to the central Plains by early Tuesday.” A large swath of snow and ice is expected to move from the central Plains to the Mid-Atlantic states Tuesday through early Thursday.
Meteorologists predicted that several states would experience the tenth and coldest polar vortex event this season. Weather forces in the Arctic are combining to push cold air from the North Pole into the United States and Europe.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear announced Monday morning that the death toll had risen to at least 11 in his state.
“That number may still grow,” Beshear said while providing an update on the state’s response.
Beshear said on “CBS Mornings” that rescue operations would likely continue on Monday.
“In many ways, this is one of the most severe flooding events we have seen, in some areas since 2022, because we have been hit hard.” In other areas, one of the most severe floods ever,” Beshear said. “And it is taking place in the midst of several snowstorms.” So we always think we have seen everything, only to be hit by something else.”
Beshear said Sunday that at least 1,000 people stranded by floods needed to be rescued. “The speed of those rescues is thankfully decreasing as the water has either crested or is going down in many areas of the state, but there are still some significant active missions that are going on right now that are very important,” the state’s governor stated.
Beshear said snow is expected to fall later this week, complicating flood response efforts. “We are going to have to make sure that we have got everyone who is displaced because of this flooding in a warm place for the days that are coming ahead,” the state’s governor explained.
President Trump granted Kentucky’s request for a disaster declaration, directing the Federal Emergency Management Agency to coordinate relief efforts across the state.
Beshear stated that the majority of the deaths, including a mother and a 7-year-old child, were caused by cars becoming stuck in high water.
“So folks, stay off the roads right now and stay alive,” he told them.
As severe storms swept across the South, up to 6 inches of rain fell in parts of Kentucky and Tennessee. Water flooded cars and buildings in Kentucky, and mudslides closed roads in Virginia.
West Virginia has one confirmed flood-related death, with several others still missing, according to Gov. Patrick Morrisey on Monday. At least 13 counties declared a state of emergency, and some areas were closed to vehicle traffic.
A large tree fell on a home in Atlanta early Sunday, killing one person.
Flood warnings were extended Monday for most of Kentucky, as well as parts of Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, West Virginia, Virginia, and Ohio.
In Alabama, the Birmingham weather service confirmed that an EF1 tornado had touched down in Hale County. Storms there and throughout the state destroyed or damaged a few mobile homes, downed trees, and toppled power lines, but no injuries were reported.
A state of emergency was declared for parts of Obion County, Tennessee, after a levee failed on Saturday, flooding the small community of Rives, which is home to approximately 300 people in the state’s western region.
“There will be mandatory evacuations in effect for the residents in Rives due to the rising water, no electricity, and freezing temperatures creating a life-threatening situation,” the mayor, Steve Carr, said in a statement Sunday.
Hart County Coroner Tony Roberts reported that the mother and child were swept away Saturday night in Kentucky’s Bonnieville community. According to county Emergency Management Deputy Director Revelle Berry, a 73-year-old man was discovered dead in floodwaters in Clay County in southeastern Kentucky.
Due to nearby river flooding, the Kentucky River Medical Center in Jackson announced the closure of its emergency department and the transfer of all patients to two other regional hospitals.
High winds downed trees and power poles throughout Albermarle County, Virginia. The Charlottesville Police Department announced on social media Sunday that officers’ response times may be delayed due to “an overwhelming number of weather-related calls for service.” Police urged residents to avoid the roads.
Power outages were reported across much of the Eastern Seaboard, from New York to Georgia.
Ice and snow made driving hazardous in large swaths of Michigan, which remained under a winter weather advisory until Monday afternoon. Since snow began falling Saturday, Michigan State Police reported 114 crashes in and around Detroit on Sunday.
“Fortunately, most were one-car spinouts, and there were no serious injuries,” Michigan State Police said on X.
Colorado authorities reported that eight people had died in fatal vehicle crashes since Valentine’s Day and warned drivers to be cautious as the weather made driving more difficult. The causes of the fatal crashes were not immediately identified.
In Colorado, three state patrol cruisers that had pulled over along the roadside were hit by other vehicles, including one on Sunday where a trooper had stopped as officials prepared to close a road due to ice. In each case, the troopers were not injured because they were not in their cruisers.
Avalanche warnings have been issued for many areas of the Rocky Mountains, with portions of Colorado, Utah, Idaho, and Wyoming classified as high risk.
