Flesh-eating bacteria cases are rising in Florida after Hurricane Ian – 100 million people under freeze/frost alerts on Wednesday – Eastern US sees early snow and record cold – Today’s weather news, alerts, and forecast
Flesh-eating bacteria cases are rising in Florida after Hurricane Ian
A rare but dangerous flesh-eating bacteria is affecting residents in Florida following Hurricane Ian, as cases of a type that thrives in brackish floodwaters are nearly double the normal amount, NPR reported.
Florida has seen 65 cases of Vibrio vulnificus infections and 11 deaths from the bacterium in 2022, according to the Florida Department of Health. At least four of the deaths and 25 of the infections, roughly 45 percent of the cases, are occurring in Lee County where Hurricane Ian made landfall as a category 4 storm on September 28, WebMD reported.
NWS weather alerts: 100 million under freeze/frost alerts
A November-like chill will place over 100 million people under freeze warnings and watches. Winter weather and frost advisories are in effect for parts of the upper Midwest, Ohio Valley, mid-Atlantic, and South, NBC reported.
Here are Wednesday’s weather alerts from the National Weather Service (NWS).
Freeze warning for portions of Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Maryland, Arkansas, Tennessee, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia.
Freeze watch for portions of Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Kentucky, and North Carolina.
Winter weather advisory: northern Michigan.
Frost advisory: southern Mississippi, southern Alabama, central and southern Georgia, southeastern South Carolina, and northern Florida and the Panhandle.
Heat advisory: southwestern California.
Red flag warning: southeastern Wyoming, western Nebraska, northeastern and east-central Colorado, and northwestern Kansas.
Fire weather watch: Washington, Oregon, Idaho, California, Nevada, Montana, Wyoming, South Dakota, and Nebraska.
Air-quality alert: western Washington, western Oregon, central Idaho, and western Montana.
Early snow and cold temperatures throughout Eastern US, snow coming to the West
More than a foot of snow fell on Michigan’s Porcupine Mountains as the western Upper Peninsula experienced the first snow of the season, MLive reported. Record snowfall measurements were recorded across the central and western portions of the Upper Peninsula, ranging between 6-20 inches, while southern Michigan saw an occasional snowflake.
Eastern Tennessee also saw some rare October snow on Tuesday, WATE reported. Knoxville was at 31 degrees, only one mark above a record of 30 set 1943.
Northeastern Ohio also saw its first snowfall of the season, WKYC reported.
Washington, D.C., also saw its coldest mid-October weather in years, as snow fell in the mountains, the Washington Post reported.
Snow is also coming to the West. Denver is currently under unseasonably warm heat and red flag warnings, but that will take a sharp turn by the weekend. Storms are likely to bring 6-12 inches of snow in elevations above 8000 feet, KDVR reported.
Record cold in Alabama
Birmingham, Alabama, hit 32 degrees before Billings, Montana–the first time that’s ever happened. Meanwhile, Dallas was colder than Boston and Atlanta was colder than Cleveland, NBC reported. Charlotte also plummeted to 30 degrees.
Wednesday forecast: Possible snow in the East, frigid temps in the South
Here is Wednesday’s forecast from the NWS. Cold temperatures will stretch across the eastern US from the north to the south.
Mixed precipitation over the Great Lakes, Ohio Valley, and mid-Atlantic could bring snow to parts of the region. Rain over Maine. Thunderstorms over southern Florida.
Mostly clear for the majority of the US.
High temperatures for Southern California (see alerts above).
Windy conditions in the West, particularly in the Northwest, with poor air quality and red flag warnings in the Midwest (see alerts above).
