Sun Feb 16 22:33:00 UTC 2025: **Severe Storms Cause Deadly Flooding in Kentucky, Widespread Winter Weather Cripples US**
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Feb. 17, 2025) – At least nine deaths have been reported across the U.S. as a result of severe winter storms that brought torrential rain and flooding to Kentucky, parts of Florida, and Georgia, and dangerously cold temperatures to other regions. Kentucky bore the brunt of the flooding, with eight fatalities, including a mother and her 7-year-old child, who were swept away by floodwaters. Governor Andy Beshear reported over 1,000 rescues and warned residents to stay off the roads due to continued flooding and high water.
The storms, which began Saturday, caused widespread power outages affecting approximately 39,000 homes. Heavy rains, totaling up to 6 inches in some areas of Kentucky and Tennessee, caused rivers and creeks to swell, leading to significant flooding. A levee failure in Rivas, Tennessee, further exacerbated the situation.
Beyond Kentucky, the harsh weather continued, with life-threatening cold gripping the Northern Plains and snowstorms blanketing the Midwest and Northeast. Dangerous wind chills of -40°F to -50°F were forecast for the Dakotas and Minnesota. In Atlanta, a tree falling on a home claimed one life. Road travel was treacherous in many areas due to ice and snow, resulting in numerous accidents, although mostly minor, according to reports from Michigan State Police.
The National Weather Service issued warnings for life-threatening cold and issued avalanche warnings for the Rocky Mountains. Cities like Denver opened shelters as temperatures plummeted. Meteorologists predicted this to be the 10th and coldest polar vortex event of the season. The extreme weather is expected to continue, with ongoing flooding in several states and dangerously low temperatures in the northern Plains.
First Piper 