Severe weather, including at least one brief tornado, caused flooding and creek overflows in parts of West Virginia and Kentucky on Thursday. A wintry mix, featuring ice and even “thunder ice” – freezing rain accompanied by lightning – impacted Indiana, southern Michigan, Ohio, and Pennsylvania.
Residents reported this unusual weather phenomenon, describing the experience of lightning and thunder during an ice storm.
Prolonged thunderstorms brought heavy rain, leading to neighborhood flooding, mudslides, rockslides, and accidents on interstate highways due to standing water. Numerous counties experienced school closures or delays.
West Virginia authorities rescued multiple stranded drivers, and the Kanawha-Charleston Humane Association appealed for help after flooding impacted part of their animal shelter.
Several inches of rain in Charleston prompted emergency operations center activation. Huntington, situated along the Ohio River, saw residents advised to shelter in place for a period due to flooding. Flood warnings persisted across much of West Virginia, eastern Kentucky, and southeastern Ohio.
In south-central Kentucky, an EF1 tornado, with winds reaching 95 mph, caused roof damage and scattered debris in Hart County. No injuries were initially reported.
Severe storms, potentially including tornadoes, moved through eastern Tennessee late Thursday. The Tennessee Highway Patrol reported assisting with safety and damage assessment in Morgan County.
Schools in Morgan County closed Friday due to substantial tornado damage.
A significant ice storm coated trees and roads in several mid-Atlantic states, before warmer temperatures arrived. Widespread power outages were largely avoided.
Forecasts of several inches of snow prompted closures and delays for numerous schools in New England. In Maine, over 200 schools and businesses closed or closed early to avoid hazardous commuting conditions for students and staff.
One school superintendent explained the decision to close schools completely rather than risk an early release during worsening road conditions.
—Associated Press writers Sarah Brumfield Cockeysville, Maryland, and Patrick Whittle in Scarborough, Maine, contributed to this report.