MOTHER NATURE

Tornadoes, Wildfires, and Blizzards Wreak Havoc Across U.S.

As parts of Arkansas recover from a tornado and Oklahoma faces new wildfire risks, a blizzard pummels the Midwest.

Severe storms wreaked havoc across the U.S. over the weekend, with the South warned to brace for tornadoes, Oklahoma battling wildfires, and a blizzard expected in the upper Midwest. One town in western Arkansas reported that several homes were “completely gone” after a tornado touched down on Friday, and parts of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and the Florida Panhandle were told to prepare for damaging winds and hail throughout the rest of the weekend. In Oklahoma, where wildfires have already prompted evacuations and scorched 350,000 acres of land, residents were warned high winds and dry conditions could spark new fires. Parts of Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Minnesota, meanwhile, were facing blizzard warnings, with between 8 inches and two feet of snow expected in some areas. More than 100 motorists in Nebraska had to be rescued Friday as winter weather paralyzed major roads, causing at least one fatality.