Weekly wrap-up: Intense tornadoes decimate towns in central US; Record heat swells in NYC, Boston
Deadly, violent storms swept through the central United States this week, killing two.
Early in the week, severe storm reports stretched from Texas to Wisconsin. Nearly 30 tornadoes were reported.
The tornadoes turned deadly as they swept through areas including Elk City, Oklahoma, and Chetek, Wisconsin. In Chetek, at least one person died after a tornado flattened a mobile home park.
A German Shepherd dog guards what remains of what appears to be its owner's home Wednesday, May 17, 2017, in a trailer park that was devastated by a tornado Tuesday during powerful spring storms that battered an area from the South Plains of Texas to the Great Lakes. (Richard Tsong-Taatarii/Star Tribune via AP)
Another person was killed in Elk City, where a tornado destroyed at least 40 homes, according to the Associated Press.
The tornado that tracked through Elk City was determined to be at least an EF2 with winds of 111 mph or higher.
A tornado flattened a trailer park and nearby trees in a mobile home park Tuesday, May 16, 2017, in Chetek, Wis. (Richard Tsong-Taatarii/Star Tribune via AP)
A significant storm outbreak triggered large and violent tornadoes across Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas again on Thursday. No major injuries or fatalities were reported.
One tornado tore through Cordell, Oklahoma, and caused damage to several structures in the area. Winds blasted higher than 70 mph with one station in Walter, Oklahoma, recording a 104-mph gust.
A dust storm swirled across parts of Illinois this week, leading to two fatal accidents. A 16-year-old was killed in Douglas County after low visibility led to a crash with a semi-truck. Another man was killed outside of Springfield, Illinois, after an accident with two other vehicles on Interstate 72 during the dust storm, according to the AP.
Warmth spread across parts of the eastern U.S. this week. Temperatures surged from the Carolinas to New England. Boston felt record-breaking heat on Thursday as the mercury topped 95 degrees Fahrenheit, making it the hottest May 18 on record.
People take advantage of the warm weather and sit on a pier in Hoboken, N.J., Thursday, May 18, 2017. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
A high of 91 F was recorded in New York City's Central Park, breaking the record for the warmest May 18 on record as well.
Developers for the L.A. Stadium made an announcement this week that the new home of the Chargers and Rams would be delayed by a year, partly due to the intense rain that fell over the winter in Southern California.
"The heavy rainfall occurred during a critical time as there was nowhere for the water to go but to the bottom of a 70-foot deep hole. As a result, construction wasn’t able to proceed on other phases of the site," a release from the Chargers said.
Late-season snow fell across parts of Colorado and Wyoming this week, burying some communities with several feet of snow.
On Thursday night, Interstate 80 and U.S. Route 30 from Laramie to Cheyenne, Wyoming, were closed in both directions due to the heavy snow.
One of the highest snowfall totals reported was in Ward, Colorado, were 38.2 inches was measured early Friday morning.
Several AccuWeather staff writers and meteorologists contributed content to this article.
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