A strong winter storm moved through much of the Southeast on Saturday, causing significant flooding in Tennessee, Kentucky, West Virginia, and Virginia.
Several flash flood warnings and flood alerts were issued across the Southeast, along with tornado watches for parts of Tennessee.
Major river flooding was observed at the Red River near Port Royal in Tennessee, as well as the Tug Fork, Guyandotte River, and Bluestone River in West Virginia.
Local authorities in Clay County, Kentucky, confirmed the death of a 73-year-old man. According to the Clay County Coroner, the man was driving on Highway 80 in the Horse Creek community near Manchester when his vehicle stalled in the rising water. As he exited his vehicle, he was overtaken by strong currents and carried several hundred feet away from his vehicle where his body was later found.
More than 30 river gauges across the Southeast indicated moderate flooding, while over 100 gauges recorded minor flooding from Texas to the Carolinas and parts of Ohio.
At least 160 gauges are forecast to experience flooding across the southeast with 7 being forecast to experience major flooding, 39 forecast for moderate flooding, and 114 expecting minor flooding, as of 09:15 UTC today.
The severe weather affected travel across the region with roads such as Highway 25 getting flooded with visuals on social media showing vehicles traveling through murky flood water on the road near Cottontown.
The severe weather is expected to continue moving through the eastern U.S. on Sunday, February 16, as the low-pressure system intensifies, bringing rain to the mid-Mississippi, Ohio, and Tennessee valleys. The storm will continue to expand, tracking northward and reaching New England by Sunday evening.
As the storm progresses, the threat of flash flooding in affected areas will diminish as rainfall decreases behind the system.
A line of strong thunderstorms could bring damaging winds as it moves from the western U.S. through the East and across the East Coast on Sunday, ahead of a cold front trailing south from the storm’s center.
The front will move off the East Coast later Sunday afternoon, bringing an end to the severe weather threat for the Eastern Seaboard.
Widespread winter weather is expected to move through the lower Great Lakes and New England on Sunday, with moderate to heavy snowfall.
Areas ahead of and near the cyclone’s track will likely experience sleet or ice, spreading as far as the Adirondacks in upstate New York, across the higher elevations of interior New England during the day on Sunday, and then through the southern half of Maine into the evening.
The deep low will also generate increasingly strong winds across much of the East Coast. Arctic air will move in behind the storm across the entire eastern U.S. on Sunday night, changing rain to snow along the western slopes of the central Appalachians, where blizzard conditions are possible in the western panhandle of Maryland.
As the system moves farther away, severe weather conditions will diminish. Meanwhile, lake-effect snow is expected along the Snow Belt downwind from the Great Lakes on Monday and into Tuesday, February 17 – 18.
References:
1 Short Range Forecast Discussion – NWS/WPC – February 16, 2025
Author profileArticles
Rishav is a skilled researcher specializing in extreme and severe weather reporting. He combines exceptional research capabilities with scientific precision to deliver clear, data-driven articles. Known for uncovering critical information, Rishav ensures his work is accurate, insightful, and impactful. His passion for both science and literature fuels his dedication to producing high-quality news articles. You can reach him at rishav(at)watchers(.)news.