Christmas Storm Claims First Fatality; More Severe Weather & Snow Expected Throughout Day
Christmas Storm Claims First Fatality; More Severe Weather & Snow Expected Throughout Day
A massive Christmas storm moving across the southern half of the United States has claimed its first life.
The Weather Channel reports a confirmed fatality from a falling pine tree from strong winds associated with a cold front in Tomball, in Harris County, Texas, where Houston is located.
KHOU in Houston reports as of 11:30 a.m. CT Tuesday, more than 55,000 people were without power in the northern portion of the county.
Several tornadoes were reported in the Houston area Tuesday, though the National Weather Service had yet to confirm any of the reports.
The storm, which the Weather Channel has dubbed “Euclid,” is spawning potentially-severe weather across much of the south while dropping up to 10 inches of snow in the lower-Midwest.
Rain and sleet early Tuesday caused a 21-vehicle pileup in Oklahoma City. Some parts of the Ozarks in Arkansas could get up to 10 inches of snow with near whiteout conditions.
Blizzard warnings were issued just before noon Tuesday for the southwest quadrant of Oklahoma and the Wichita Falls area of Texas.