Extreme Weather: Winter Storm Finley Warnings Issued Across Midwest, Northeast As Car Accidents Pile Up

Winter storm warnings have been issued across the Midwest and Northeastern U.S. as Winter Storm Finley formed Monday.

The Central Plains was the first area hit on Sunday by the storm as parts of Missouri contended with snow and ice to start off Monday. It’s forecasted to spread through Mississippi and into the Ohio Valley as the day goes on, impacting travel across the regions.

According to police, multiple car accidents have been reported across Omaha and Missouri while hundreds of commuters have reportedly been stranded from the mix of snow and frozen rain. The Omaha World-Herald reported one of the worst crashes to occur as multiple vehicles reportedly collided on Nebraska’s Interstate 80, killing at least five people.

Another four deaths were reported by the Missouri State Highway Police, along with over 50 injuries from dozens of accidents.

The storm will continue to spread Tuesday as it pushes farther into the Northeast and drops more snow on areas of Pennsylvania, New York and Massachusetts. The National Weather Service said there is “uncertainty” regarding the storm’s movement due to how quickly it has already expanded and will continue to expand.

“Interior New England will likely see all snow lasting from Monday night through Tuesday,” the National Weather Service said Monday.

It also warned that another storm system could follow Winter Storm Finley that will bring more snow and freezing rain to end the week.

“Although the low will quickly move away from the Northeast Tuesday night, a weaker system will drop southeastward across the Great Lakes, leading to development of lake-effect snows which could spill across interior New England into Wednesday morning,” the NWS said.

The Farmers' Almanac had predicted an erratic winter for 2019-20.

"[T]his winter will be filled with so many ups and downs on the thermometer, it may remind you of a 'Polar Coaster,'" the Farmers' Almanac noted in August.