US Slammed by Deadly, Violent Winter Weather, Including Tornadoes - More to Come

Millions of Americans in more than 40 states have been feeling the effects as multiple storms slam the country from coast to coast.

The East Coast has been seeing severe thunderstorms, heavy rain, and flooding as well as tornadoes while the Midwest gets hit with snow and wind.  

In Washington, D.C., the Potomac River spilled over its banks as a line of thunderstorms pounded the East Coast, slamming the area with high wind and rain. Areas from D.C. to New England braced for potential flooding. 

"I'm scared, I'm nervous, I hate this," said one homeowner in Westchester County, NY who moved some belongings upstairs just in case. 

Multiple tornadoes developed out of the line of storms. From the air in Panama City Beach, FL, you can see the extensive damage from the storm. Roofs were ripped off and a marina was severely damaged. Bay County Resident Mark Elliott lives just a few blocks away. "When the hail started and we saw all the lightning and saw all the green and the lightning, we knew it was the storm. And then it went over the house, knocking a fence down," he said.

Storm damage around Panama City Beach, FL, in Bay County, early Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024. (Bay County Sheriff's Office via AP)

As the storm moved north, deaths were reported in several states, including North Carolina where one person was killed and two critically injured when a tornado tore through a mobile home park in Claremont. 

In the Midwest, it's been mostly heavy snow. Parts of Iowa, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Kansas, and Illinois are now digging out. I-70 west of Salina, Kansas was shut down. 

And in Iowa, the heavy snow made it tough for presidential candidates on the campaign trail just five days ahead of the Iowa caucuses. Republican candidate Nikki Haley told a crowd, "We're gonna be there, you know, no matter what."

The wild weather knocked out power for more than 800,000 customers from Virginia to New York and left another 77,000 people in the dark in North Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. 

And much of the country is bracing for more extreme weather as another major storm is now beginning to impact the Pacific Northwest before it begins its move east. CBN's Operation Blessing is mobilizing disaster relief efforts in Florida and other states that have been hard hit by the storms.

***Please sign up for CBN Newsletters and download the CBN News app to ensure you keep receiving the latest news from a Christian perspective.***