The U.S. Midwest was battered by rain, thunderstorms, and tornadoes late on Monday and early on Tuesday, while the central Plains was spared much of the harsh weather, which was a relief for cattle already stressed by previous storms. The National Weather Service on Tuesday had a tornado watch and severe thunderstorm warnings for parts of southwest Arkansas and flood warnings for much of northern Illinois and northern Indiana.
By Bob Burgdorfer
CHICAGO (Reuters) - The U.S. Midwest was battered by rain, thunderstorms, and tornadoes late on Monday and early on Tuesday, while the central Plains was spared much of the harsh weather, which was a relief for cattle already stressed by previous storms.
The National Weather Service on Tuesday had a tornado watch and severe thunderstorm warnings for parts of southwest Arkansas and flood warnings for much of northern Illinois and northern Indiana.
"This is a dangerous storm. If you are in its path, prepare immediately for damaging winds, destructive hail, and deadly cloud to ground lightning," the NWS' Web site said of southwest Arkansas early on Tuesday.
!ADVERTISEMENT!A tornado reportedly killed one person in Arkansas and demolished some houses. Tornadoes were also sighted or suspected in Illinois, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Wisconsin, according to TV and news reports.
Considerable rain fell overnight in central and northern Illinois, northern Indiana, and western Ohio flooding some roads. More rain was due through the day on Tuesday, before the storm moves out, said Mike Palmerino, meteorologist for DTN Meteorlogix.
Pork production was briefly halted on Monday at Cargill Inc's pork plant in Beardstown, Illinois, when thunderstorms knocked out power to the plant, said Cargill spokesman Mark Klein.
KANSAS CATTLE AREAS GET LIGHT SNOW
Cattle feedlots in central Kansas and western Oklahoma, already soggy from previous storms, had been bracing for three to six inches of snow, but by Tuesday morning the actual amounts ranged from one to two inches.
"It was very minimal. The only accumulating snow was in Dodge City (Kansas), which picked up an inch," said Palmerino.
That is a relief for many Kansas feedlots, where cattle had been stressed by having to trudge through the mud caused by the previous storms.
"The sun is shining and it is melting already," said a receptionist at one western Kansas feedlot.
"The ground was white, but no big accumulation," said a staffer at another Kansas feedlot.
The storm system should vacate the central United States late on Tuesday, followed by mostly dry weather and normal to above normal temperatures, said Palmerino. There may be instances of light snow or rain in the Midwest later this week, he said.
"Essentially, we are looking at fairly dry conditions for the next week or so, with temperatures at or above normal. It looks like the whole central part of the country is going to be under pattern that is going to be drier," he said.
(Reporting by Bob Burgdorfer; Editing by Marguerita Choy)
