January 9, 2024 - Winter storm slams central and eastern US

There have been more than 1,350 flight cancellations and more than 8,700 flight delays across the country on Tuesday due to severe weather that continues to disrupt travel in the eastern US, according to FlightAware. 

At least seven people were rescued from vehicles in Prince George's County, Maryland, prompting multiple water rescues following severe weather throughout the state, according to the Prince George’s County Fire/EMS Department.

No injuries were reported during the rescues.

About 73 miles north in Harford County, at least seven people were rescued from two vehicles in the area, the fire department said.

Some homes in Harford County are also being evacuated as the waters continue to rise, the department said.

More than 300 storms have been reported across the central and eastern US on Monday and Tuesday as a potent storm moves through the region, bringing a variety of weather impacts. 

At least 23 tornados have been reported as of 9 p.m. EST, with nine occurring on Monday and 14 occurring on Tuesday. Tornado reports occurred in Texas, Alabama, Florida, Georgia and South Carolina.

Surveys and information regarding the notable tornado reports — especially the ones that are linked to fatalities — will continue to be released in the coming days. 

There have also been over 250 high-wind reports, including 45 on Monday and 232 on Tuesday as power outages continue to rise.

There were also 15 large hail reports across the Gulf Coast on Monday.

Here are Monday's notable weather reports:

Here are Tuesday's notable weather reports:

Officials in Annapolis, Maryland, are expecting floodwaters to reach historic heights as severe weather moves through the state capital on Tuesday.

As of Tuesday evening, there were multiple roads closed and many power outages, Mitchelle Stephenson, the city spokesperson, told CNN.

Stephenson said she expects this flooding to be “historic” and in the top five worst the city has seen. 

“Right now we’re at a little over 3 feet and we’re expected to get to 5 feet overnight,” Stephenson said. 

The city received and then put up a flooding barricade on Tuesday — what they called a "flood boom" — in preparation for the severe weather and to deal with the flooding they typically see in the area

After its installation, the barricade successfully prevented water from spilling onto roads, Stephenson said, adding the city is hoping to receive more in the future to help with other weather events.

In a video posted to the city’s Instagram, Mayor Gavin Buckley described the barrier as working “excellently” since its installation.

Annapolis also deployed sandbags to help combat the weather, as officials warn residents there could be downed trees and power lines because of the weather.

As winter storms track across the central and eastern United States, more than 40 million people are under a severe storm threat — with at least thousands of them having lost power.

“When a storm hits and the power goes out for an extended period of time, people are going to either buy a portable generator to power their home or pull out the one they already have,” Nicolette Nye, a spokesperson for the US Consumer Product Safety Commission, told CNN in 2021.

But there are risks: Incorrectly using a generator can lead to dangerous consequences, such as electric shock or electrocution, fire, or carbon monoxide poisoning from engine exhaust, according to the US Consumer Product and Safety Commission.

Since storms began occurring in late December, the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention “has received 16 reports of probable carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning from eight separate incidents, all related to improper generator usage,” according to the office of state Gov. Janet Mills.

If you’re without power and thinking of using a portable generator, here are seven tips for doing it safely.

The Iowa State Patrol released statistics Tuesday evening on the number of service calls they were involved in between 8 a.m. on January 8 and 4 p.m. today (local time).

The law enforcement agency said the calls for service included 171 crashes covered, 153 property damage, 18 personal injuries and 482 motorist assists.

State Patrol noted there were zero fatalities. 

Portions of Iowa continue to be under winter storm warnings, according to the National Weather Service (NWS). 

Vice President Kamala Harris’ plane was diverted from Joint Base Andrews to a Washington-area airport due to weather Tuesday evening, the White House said.

A source familiar with the event said the plane encountered “wind shear.”

Harris was in Atlanta Tuesday for a voting rights event.

More than 775,000 customers are without power in the US as of 8 p.m. Tuesday as outages remain high in the southeast following severe storms, and they continue to rise in the mid-Atlantic and northeast, according to poweroutage.us.

The biggest cluster of outages continues to be in North Carolina, but outages in Pennsylvania and New York are climbing quickly.

Here are the where the majority of outages are as of 8 p.m. ET :

More than 52,000 people are without power in New York, with 42,000 in the western part of the state, after a powerful storm hit the area, according to Gov. Kathy Hochul.

Hochul said her number one concern is that many New Yorkers might not have power Tuesday night, noting that freezing temperatures could create “a dangerous situation.”

“We don't have the time for the restoration because they can't get the bucket trucks up there when the winds are still so high," Hochul said during an interview on CNN affiliate Spectrum News NY1.

Hochul is urging families to check on each other and their neighbors. She said the number of people without power in the state will "get quite a bit higher during the night."

Possible flooding in certain parts of the state remains a major concern, Hochul said.