Another potent storm approaches: tornadoes in the South, blizzards for Upper Midwest

A potent storm system is expected to pour heavy rain on western states later this week before rumbling into the central United States, where it could spawn tornadoes in the South and dump heavy snow across the parts of the Great Plains and Upper Midwest, creating blizzard conditions.

The ominous forecast comes as temperatures hit record highs in parts of the central U.S. after an active few days of weather across the nation. A possible tornado touched down in central Florida on Monday morning, tearing past a local television news station as its meteorologists were live on the air. No injuries were reported.

In Texas, thunderstorms on Saturday toppled semi trailers on Interstate 35 in Texas and flipped over a recreation vehicle at the Texas Motorplex drag racing strip south of Dallas, killing a man inside the RV.

Much of the Midwest got hit by heavy snow and blizzard conditions last week, but the region began this week with springtime temperatures. Readings hit 76 in Granite Falls, Minnesota by mid-afternoon.

Omaha and Lincoln, Nebraska both set records Monday with temperatures in the low 80s. Readings in the 60s and low 70s were also common across South Dakota.

But dry conditions and high winds also raised the wildfire risk over much of the Midwest, with red flag warnings out for most of Nebraska and South Dakota, and parts of Kansas, Missouri, Iowa and Minnesota.


(AP Photo Felicia Fonseca)