Parts of the West are under extreme heat alerts just days before spring, with temperatures in some locations — including sections of Los Angeles — approaching 100 degrees. Fire departments are bracing for more heat-related calls. Crews say first responses often include placing ice packs under the armpits and, when necessary, starting an IV to lower body temperature quickly. Officials caution that people can be in danger even if they don’t feel hot or aren’t sweating, which can signal developing heat stroke.
At the same time, the East is digging out after a major storm that dropped feet of snow across the region. National correspondent Dave Malkoff reported heavy snowfall and slick roads in Watertown, New York, where more than a dozen vehicles crashed on an interstate, forcing a multi-mile closure in both directions. Southern Minnesota communities were also hard hit, with some areas receiving over two feet of snow and residents working to clear roads and driveways.
Further south, a potent line of storms produced heavy rain and damaging winds in Tennessee and Georgia. In Atlanta, a family described winds like a Category 1 hurricane that toppled a tree onto their home. Tonia Steave said her 95-year-old mother was in bed when the tree fell; she suffered a head bump, was checked at the ER and is reportedly okay, though the house sustained significant damage.
Weather officials also issued freeze warnings for parts of the Southeast through tomorrow morning, underscoring the stark contrast across the country. The rapid swing from record heat in the West to lingering cold and heavy snow in the East illustrates a striking case of weather whiplash as the nation moves into spring.