This area includes the Texas cities of Lubbock, Amarillo, Midland and Odessa and the New Mexico city of Clovis. More than 11 million people from southeastern Arizona to southeastern Nebraska are under red flag warnings Tuesday.Īccording to the National Weather Service, red flag warnings are issued when warmer temperatures, low humidity, and strong winds are anticipated to combine to increase the risk of fire.įires could be fueled by dry surface air, breezy winds, dead grass and brush and warm temperatures,” the weather service office for Omaha and Valley, Nebraska, said.Īn “ extremely critical” Level 3 of 3 fire risk is in place across parts of eastern New Mexico, western Texas, western Oklahoma and southern Kansas. ‘Extremely critical’ fire threat in the Southwest and Plains The National Weather Service issued a blizzard warning and a winter weather advisory for the affected areas. The highway patrol asked people to stay home but if not, “be prepared in case you get stranded.” US 12 westbound from Summit is impassable and more and more vehicles keep getting stuck there.” “We need our citizens and visitors help to make sure everyone stays safe during this storm.

US 12 near Summit, South Dakota, is “solid ice and hard to even walk on,” according to the highway patrol. Expect multiple day closures,” the alert warned. Adjust travel plans and seek shelter elsewhere. The weather service said this was the first tornado in the city since Sept.The closure affects I-90 from Rapid City to Murdo and I-29 from Watertown to the border with North Dakota, the department said. The city's Office of Emergency Management and Communications also didn't receive any reports regarding damage or injuries from the tornado, a spokeswoman said. “They're typically not strong enough to produce any damage or (they produce) very low-end damage,” Deubelbeiss said. The funnel cloud lasted about 10 minutes, and the weather service didn't receive reports of any damage. Such tornadoes don't typically last a long time, he said, which was the case Tuesday. A cloud developed over the area, and the column of air stretched and accelerated, much like how an ice skater pulls in her arms and spins faster, he said. What caused the tornado? Winds began to swirl when southwest winds converged with a breeze coming off the lake, said Ben Deubelbeiss, a meteorologist with the weather service in Romeoville. The tornado did not affect operations at Midway Airport, according to the Chicago Department of Aviation. I double-checked with the binoculars, which showed definite rotation.” “I almost couldn't believe what I was seeing. “It was such a pretty day in Chicago, with a lake breeze moving inland,” she said by email. Melanie Harnacke, the weather observer, said she was surprised to see the funnel cloud from her office, which is on the fourth floor of the air traffic control tower at Midway Airport, where she has worked for 10 years. in an area bounded by Cicero Avenue on the west, Pulaski Road on the east, Ogden Avenue on the north and 33rd Street to the south, according to the weather service. The observer photographed the tornado, which was spotted just before 4 p.m. The weather service was notified of the tornado - in this case a landspout tornado typically described as low in magnitude.

A tornado was spotted Tuesday on Chicago's Southwest Side, the first tornado in the city limits in nearly a decade, according to the National Weather Service.Ī certified weather observer who is under contract with the Federal Aviation Administration saw the funnel cloud while on duty at Midway Airport.

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