Northern California Hit by Tornado as Winter Storms Affect Midwest and Other Regions

Local authorities reported that a tornado impacted northern California on Saturday afternoon, resulting in at least four injuries. Police indicated that the twister, which hit Scotts Valley, approximately 55 miles (89km) south of San Francisco, overturned multiple vehicles and downed power lines. The National Weather Service (NWS) classified the tornado as an EF1, noting it is among the weakest categories, and stated it persisted for approximately five minutes. Concurrently, other parts of the United States experienced significant weather events, including an ice storm affecting the Midwestern states of Iowa and Nebraska, substantial snowfall in upstate New York, and severe weather advisories issued for the Lake Tahoe area, situated on the border of California and Nevada. In Nebraska, a fatal incident occurred on an icy road near Arlington, claiming at least one life. The Washington County Sheriff’s Office reported that a 57-year-old woman’s pickup truck skidded out of control, colliding with an approaching vehicle. Interstate 80, a significant highway connecting Iowa and Nebraska, was temporarily closed after vehicles veered off the road because of the treacherous icy conditions. The highway has since resumed operations. Residents in upstate New York cleared snow from their driveways, with over 33 inches (83cm) of accumulation reported near Orchard Park in Erie County. Further west, in Nevada, forecasts anticipated up to 3 feet of snow in the Sierra Nevada mountains. Snowfall also affected regions surrounding Lake Tahoe, where some ski resorts experienced more than 1 foot. The NWS also noted a wind gust of 112mph at the Mammoth Mountain resort, situated south of Yosemite National Park. Police confirmed that the tornado in Scotts Valley, California, made landfall at 13:39 local time (21:39 GMT) on Saturday. CBS News, the BBC’s US partner, reported that the local fire service stated four individuals sustained injuries, with two requiring hospitalization. The NWS estimated peak wind speeds at approximately 90mph. The weather agency further indicated that the twister measured about 30 yards in width and traversed a quarter of a mile before dissipating. Earlier on Saturday, a short-duration tornado warning was issued to residents in downtown San Francisco and San Mateo County shortly before 06:00 local time. NWS meteorologist Roger Glass informed the AP news agency that San Francisco’s previous tornado occurred in 2005; however, it lacked a distinct radar signature, precluding the issuance of a warning at that time. By Sunday, over 40,000 customers along the California coast remained without electricity, with Monterey county experiencing the most significant impact, as per the PowerOutage website. The tornado alert in San Francisco followed by only a week the city’s inaugural tsunami warning. That concise advisory was issued for northern California and southern Oregon subsequent to a magnitude 7.0 earthquake that struck off the state’s northern coastline. The advisory was subsequently withdrawn, and no injuries were documented. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content of external websites. Information regarding our external linking policy is available.