Powerful U.S. storms bring threats ranging from critical fire weather to blizzard conditions

NEW ORLEANS — Powerful storms tore roofs off an apartment building and a nursing home in a small town in Oklahoma and threatened more communities across the country Tuesday with weather ranging from fire in the Southern High Plains to blizzards in the Midwest.

Dust storms blinded drivers in the Southwest, tornadoes were possible in the South and blizzard conditions descended on the Central Plains.

In New Orleans, high winds were forcing some changes to Mardi Gras in New Orleans. The city moved up and shortened the celebration’s two biggest parades, hoping to wrap them up before high winds moved in.

The weather wasn’t stopping Shalaska Jones and her 2-year-old daughter from waving at passing Mardi Gras floats Tuesday and hoping to catch one of the coveted coconuts thrown to the crowd.

“We was coming out rain, sleet or snow,” Jones said.

The alarming weather expected Tuesday could be one of the first big tests for the National Weather Service after hundreds of forecasters were fired last week as part of President Trump’s moves to slash the size of the federal government. Former employees said the firing of meteorologists who make crucial local forecasts across the U.S. could put lives at risk, though it was too soon to know the effects on forecasts and warnings for this storm.

Nation faces a number of weather threats

Storms that swept through Texas and Oklahoma early Tuesday brought high winds and rain, overturning tractor-trailers and damaging roofs. Power outages were climbing Tuesday morning in the storm’s wake, with nearly 400,000 customers without power in Texas and another 25,000 knocked offline in Oklahoma, according to PowerOutage.us, which tracks outages nationwide.

In the 16,000-resident city of Ada, Okla., where apartment and nursing home roofs were torn away, the damage indicates there was likely a tornado that touched down Tuesday morning as a line of powerful thunderstorms rumbled across the state, said Bruce Thoren, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.

Gusts up to 85 mph were recorded in the area, he said. There were no immediate reports of injuries, said Jeff Rollins, the emergency management director in the nearby town of Byng, who was assisting Ada.

The week’s strong weather system will also bring “a threat of blizzard conditions, high winds, flash flooding, severe weather, dust storms and critical to extreme fire weather conditions to the nation’s heartland,” the National Weather Service said.

The dust storms brought near-zero visibility to parts of New Mexico and west Texas on Monday, prompting the National Weather Service to issue dust storm warnings.

The Central Plains and Midwest were bracing for blizzard conditions later Tuesday that forecasters warned could “make travel treacherous and potentially life-threatening.” The Nebraska Department of Transportation said conditions could mean low visibility and whiteout conditions across the state, and urged travelers to adjust their plans for Tuesday afternoon and into the night.

On Tuesday, twisters, damaging winds and large hail were all possible as the strong storm system began moving across the nation’s midsection into Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi, the federal Storm Prediction Center warned. Tornado watches and warnings were issued Tuesday morning in Oklahoma, Texas and Arkansas.

The bull’s-eye for a heightened risk of severe weather was an area stretching from east Texas to Alabama that’s home to more than 7 million people. Cities under threat included Baton Rouge and Shreveport in Louisiana; Jackson, Miss.; and Mobile, Ala.

Nationwide, nearly 400 flights scheduled to travel through the U.S. on Tuesday were canceled, according to FlightAware.com, which tracks delays and cancellations. Airports in Dallas had canceled the most flights among U.S. airports.

Region braces for severe weather during Mardi Gras

New Orleans Police Supt. Anne Kirkpatrick ordered parade-goers to not bring umbrellas, tents or “anything that could fly in the wind and cause mayhem.”

Just outside New Orleans in neighboring Jefferson Parish, officials canceled planned Mardi Gras Day parades due to anticipated high winds and thunderstorms.

Mardi Gras floats “could become unstable” and heavy winds could “blow down trees and power lines,” the National Weather Service warned, adding that gusts of up to 60 mph were expected Tuesday afternoon.

In Pointe Coupee Parish, near Louisiana’s capital city of Baton Rouge, the incoming weather forced drastic changes to one of the oldest Mardi Gras celebrations in the state. The parade there was scheduled to roll without any bands, marching teams or dance groups — a staple of Carnival season parades.

Officials also moved up the start time and urged residents to immediately remove all tents and trash afterward “due to the dangers they can present during weather.”

Other cities with Mardi Gras parades watching forecasts

Elsewhere, large crowds were expected Tuesday for Mardi Gras celebrations in Mobile. Police said they were monitoring the forecast and would announce any celebration changes.

Other cities hosting large events included Biloxi, Miss., where an annual parade was set for Tuesday afternoon.

Martin and Brook write for the Associated Press. Martin reported from Atlanta. AP writers Sean Murphy in Oklahoma City; Sara Cline in Baton Rouge, La.; and Susan Montoya Bryan in Albuquerque, N.M., contributed to this report.