Approaching mid-April 2022, the United States has seen an unleashing of ferocious weather, as tornadoes demolish cities, apocalyptic wildfires erupt amid treacherous winds, blizzards dump massive snow, flooding, and more.
Tornadoes demolish cities, hail larger than grapefruit
April 2022 has already brought an abundance of severe weather, and the US has experienced four consecutive days of severe weather, with disastrous results.
On Wednesday afternoon, more than 100,000 power outages occurred across Texas, Louisiana, and Arkansas as storms rolled through, knocking down trees, power lines, and torn homes and buildings’ roofs.
Small Minnesota town leveled
The town of Taopi, a tiny community, located in southeastern Minnesota resting 40 miles south of Rochester, home to slightly over 50 people, was leveled during the nighttime hours of Tuesday, April 12, 2022, bring me the news reports. Many of the houses are gone, and farms, sheds, barns, and grain bins are destroyed. No deaths were reported, but two residents were taken to the Mayo Clinic for evaluation and treatment of non-life-threatening injuries, according to a release by the Mower County Sheriff’s office.
EF-3 tornado with 165 mph winds injures 23 in Texas
On Wednesday, April 13, 2022, CNN reports that an EF-3 tornado ripped through Bell County, Texas, packing 165 mph winds and injuring 23 people. The National Weather Service confirmed the tornado.
Local authorities reported that a total of 61 homes and two churches were damaged. On Thursday, Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R) issued an emergency declaration in several counties.
Oklahoma tornado
An EF-1 tornado with a peak wind speed of 105 mph ripped through Adair County, north of Stillwell, Oklahoma, destroying a gas station, damaging multiple structures and homes, and injuring two people.
Hail larger than grapefruit falls over Texas.
Fox Weather reports recorded hail measuring 5.5 inches, larger than a grapefruit, in Salado, Texas. Nearly a dozen people were injured, with one in critical condition, while significant tornado damage occurred.
Arkansas tornadoes
At least four EF-1 tornadoes touched down in Arkansas on Monday, the National Weather Service confirmed, KARK reported.
A falling tree in Arkansas killed a 20-year-old woman on Wednesday night, the Weather Channel reported.
Kentucky tornadoes
On Wednesday night, at least one damaging tornado destroyed numerous homes in the Louisville Metro area. Multiple trees and power lines were downed near Mayfield and Paducah.
Alabama tornadoes
At least six homes were damaged in western Alabama, with one woman trapped in her home,
Apocalyptic wildfires
Strong winds have persisted across the Southwest and Central US from Arizona to Texas, North to South Dakota, and all points in between for the week prompting red flag alerts and sparking wildfires.
On Sunday, April 10, 2022, four separate Colorado wildfires forced evacuations, Fox 31 Denver reported.
Colorado wildfires
By Thursday, April 14, 2022, US News reported that fires had spread into New Mexico while continuing to rage in Colorado. By Tuesday, five new large fires were reported. Weather Channel video showed the apocalyptic aftermath of two wildfires burning thousands of acres in southeast Colorado.
New Mexico wildfires
At least 150 homes and other structures had been burned in New Mexico, with at least two people perishing in the fire. The fire had spread from the Lincoln National Forest, jumping the road and encroaching on the east side community of Ruidoso.
Elsewhere in New Mexico, wildfires were burning along the Rio Grande south of Albuquerque, in the Northwest community of Las Vegas, and in the grasslands along the Pecos River near Roswell.
Snow, blizzards shut down 500 miles of highway
Parts of the upper Midwest have seen at least three consecutive days of blizzard warnings over parts of North Dakota and into parts of Minnesota and South Dakota. The northern tier of the US has seen week-long heavy snow that is forecast to continue through Thursday, April 14, 2022.
AccuWeather reported that North Dakota had seen its strongest blizzard in 25 years, recording as much as 40 inches in some areas.
Wind gusts of 52 mph and 63 mph were recorded. On Tuesday, April 12, 2022, the heavy snowfall shut down 500 miles of highway on Interstate 94 between Montana and North Dakota, CNN reported.
On Thursday, April 14, 2022, snow shut down 240 miles of highway 2 in North Dakota, Bring Me the News reported, with over two feet of snow piled up in many sections of Western and Central parts of the state.
