A severe ice storm swept across Iowa and eastern Nebraska this weekend, creating dangerous travel conditions and chaos across the region. The storm forced the temporary closure of Interstate 80 after cars and trucks began sliding off the icy roads.
The icy conditions that began Friday evening have claimed at least one life in eastern Nebraska. A 57-year-old woman lost control of her pickup truck on Highway 30 near Arlington and collided with an oncoming truck. The other driver suffered minor injuries, according to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office.
“Fortunately, some warmer air is getting in behind it, so it’s only temporary,” said Dave Cousins, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Davenport, Iowa. On Saturday afternoon, temperatures rose and ice melted in many areas.
Meanwhile, California faced a rare tornado warning in San Francisco and nearby San Mateo County. The warning issued early Saturday morning was lifted within 20 minutes. Later that day, a tornado struck Scotts Valley, about 70 miles south of San Francisco, overturning cars, downing trees, and damaging power lines and buildings. The city last experienced a tornado in 2005, although meteorologist Roger Gass noted that the warning system may have missed it then.
“Based on video, photos, first-hand reports and radar signatures, a tornado occurred at 1:40 p.m.,” the National Weather Service confirmed. Images showed overturned vehicles and significant damage in the area. Several people were injured and hospitalized, including a battalion chief with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
Heavy snow blanketed New York state, with 33 inches reported near Orchard Park. In Nevada, up to 3 feet of snow fell in parts of the Sierra Nevada, while Mammoth Mountain Resort experienced wind gusts of up to 112 miles per hour. Avalanche warnings remained in effect for high elevations near Lake Tahoe.
Widespread power outages occurred in western Washington on Saturday due to rain and high winds, leaving tens of thousands without power.