Snow, ice target huge swath of Midwest

There have been about 43 weather-related deaths in the past week across the country, with the current storm severe storm system blamed for 24.

GARLAND, Texas - At least 11 people died and dozens were injured in strong tornadoes that swept through the Dallas area and caused substantial damage this weekend, while 13 people died in flooding in the Midwest.

Three other deaths were reported in the Dallas metro area, the nation's fourth most populous, with about 7 million people.

The weather service said an EF-4 tornado, which is the second-most powerful with winds up to more than 200 miles per hour, hit the community at about 6:45 p.m. Saturday. As reported by CNN, Rowlett was rocked by an EF-3 tornado - having typical gusts of between 136 and 165 miles per hour - wreaking havoc and destruction.

CBS affiliate DFW reported three people died in Collin County, according to Chris Havey with the Collin County Sheriff's Office. Thirteen people died in flash floods in those two states during the weekend, including four global soldiers training at a military base in Missouri, the Army said. Bishop says the tornado outbreak at this time of the year for North Texas occurs "from time to time... but it's certainly not something that happens regularly".

Danny Arriago gathers items from his apartment at the Landmark at Lake Village West apartments where homes were struck by a tornado two days earlier in Garland, Texas, Dec. 28, 2015.

Better weather was forecast for the Southeast on Sunday, and temperatures in the eastern third of the country could set numerous records highs, Rubin-Oster said. Otto, the meteorologist, said the worst of the snow was leaving Texas on Monday.

Abbott urged Texans to remain vigilant to perilous conditions north of I-10, including the threat of rising waters. Now, snow, hail and stormy winds have blocked the air traffic across the US.

After a blizzard pummeled the high plains through the holiday weekend, New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez declared a state of emergency on Sunday, mobilizing the National Guard to rescue stranded drivers.

At the same time, a blizzard socked in the Texas Panhandle while the same storm system dropped 12 inches of rain in eastern Oklahoma, creating severe flooding across the area.

More than 40 people were killed by tornadoes and floods during the holiday season in the United States, where rare winter tornado warnings were issued in Alabama on Monday.

Lightning illuminates a house after a tornado touched down in Jefferson County, Alabama, damaging several houses, on Friday, Dec. 25, 2015, in Birmingham, Alabama.

Authorities in Georgia said they recovered the body of a man whose vehicle was swept away when floodwaters overtook it. They also recovered a second body, a death they said later Monday did not appear to be storm-related.

"The poor little girl didn't make it", King said. With the recent heavy rains, that trickle grew into several feet of swiftly moving water.

Authorities believe the city's eight tornado victims died when their vehicles were thrown from overpasses in the area of Interstate 30 and the George Bush Turnpike, a major route in the region.

"Streams turn into rivers, and people sometimes don't see the road has flooded over when they are driving at night", he said.

Lauren Mueller, a resident of one of the areas affected by floods, said that a park in St. Charles was underwater.

Flooding continued Monday in south-central Missouri, where residents shared pictures and video of flooded roadways. Those states included MI - where commuters prepared for snow, freezing rain and sleet, the Detroit Free Press reported - and Iowa, where flakes were falling Monday morning, according to the Des Moines Register.

States of emergency have been declared in Missouri and New Mexico and a state of disaster covers four Texas counties.

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