At least nine people have lost their lives in the latest extreme weather conditions to affect the United States, with eight of the fatalities occurring in Kentucky, where swollen creeks and waterlogged roads were caused by heavy rainfall.
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear stated on Sunday that numerous individuals who were stranded due to flooding required rescue efforts.
Governor Beshear stated that numerous fatalities, including a mother and a seven-year-old child, resulted from vehicles becoming stranded in deep floodwaters.
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Please stay off the roads for now and stay safe," he said. "This is the search and rescue phase, and I'm very proud of all the Kentuckians who are out there responding, putting their lives at risk.
Governor Beshear stated that the storms have left approximately 39,000 households without electricity, and he cautioned that severe gusts in certain regions may lead to additional power disruptions.
Much of the United States outside of Kentucky experienced another wave of harsh winter weather. The northern plains were threatened by extremely low temperatures, and tornado warnings were issued for sections of Georgia and Florida.
The Hart County Coroner, Tony Roberts, stated earlier that a mother and child were swept away in the Bonnieville community on Saturday night. In southeastern Kentucky, a 73-year-old man was found dead in the floodwaters by Clay County's County Emergency Management Deputy Director, Revelle Berry.
Parts of Kentucky and Tennessee received up to 6 inches (15 cm) of rain during the weekend storms, stated Bob Oravec, a senior forecaster with the National Weather Service (NWS).
The effects will persist for a while, with many streams swollen and frequent flooding occurring," Oravec said on Sunday. "Whenever flooding occurs, it can last much longer than the rainfall itself.
In Atlanta, a person was killed when an "extremely large tree" fell on a house early on Sunday, as reported by Atlanta Fire Rescue Captain Scott Powell. He stated that firefighters were sent to the scene after receiving an emergency call.
Elsewhere, freezing temperatures are forecasted for the Northern Plains, with lows in the minus 30s Fahrenheit near the Canadian border. Dangerously cold wind chill temperatures ranging from minus 40 degrees Celsius to minus 50 degrees Fahrenheit are expected in the Dakotas and Minnesota.
Significant snowfall was forecast for parts of New England and northern New York. In certain areas, wind gusts of up to 60mph (approximately 97kph) were predicted, which could lead to "hazardous whiteout conditions", according to the NWS.
Heavy flooding submerged cars and buildings in Kentucky and mudslides blocked roads in Virginia late Saturday into Sunday. Kentucky, Virginia, Tennessee, and Arkansas were under flood warnings, with the NWS advising residents to refrain from traveling.
Cold temperatures took the place of the heavy rain in certain parts of Kentucky on Sunday, beginning with snow.
The Kentucky River Medical Centre in Jackson announced it had closed its emergency department and moved all patients to two nearby hospitals. It plans to reassess the situation on Sunday morning to decide when it can safely reopen. The weather service forecasted that the north fork of the Kentucky River would reach nearly 14ft (4.3m) above the flood level by that afternoon.
Photos shared by authorities and residents on social media showed cars and buildings submerged in water in south-central and eastern Kentucky. In Buchanan County, Virginia, the sheriff's office reported that multiple roads were obstructed by mudslides.
The Simpson County Office of Emergency Management in Kentucky reported that authorities conducted multiple rescues from vehicles stranded in flooded areas.
The office advises staying at home if possible.
Heavy snow is forecasted to cover a significant portion of New England, followed by the transition to freezing rain.
Oravec stated on Sunday that snowfall in the area was relatively light, due to the mixture of freezing rain and sleet.
Cold snow and arctic temperatures affected much of the Midwest and Upper Plains on Saturday, covering roads in eastern Nebraska, northern Iowa and most of Wisconsin. Winter weather advisories were issued for parts of those states and Michigan, with up to 4 inches (10.6cm) of snow forecast for Iowa, southern Wisconsin and most of Michigan by Sunday evening.
Meteorologists have forecasted that the US is on the cusp of experiencing its 10th polar vortex event of the season, with the northern Rocky Mountains and northern Plains set to be the first regions affected.
In Denver, where temperatures were forecasted to plummet as low as minus 10 degrees over the weekend, the city opened shelters for individuals living on the streets.
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