For the first time, a US city receives a tornado warning.

This past weekend, a major ice storm swept through the American states of Iowa and eastern Nebraska, causing treacherous driving conditions and temporary closures of Interstate 80. The storm hit on Friday evening, leading to the cancellation of many events in the region and prompting businesses to delay their opening on Saturday. Officials advised people to stay home if possible to avoid the dangerous road conditions.

Fortunately, the afternoon brought warmer temperatures that melted the ice in most areas, providing some relief from the storm. "Luckily, some warmer air is moving in behind this to make it temporary," explained Dave Cousins, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service's office in Davenport, Iowa. Tragically, however, one person died in a crash caused by the icy roads in eastern Nebraska. The Washington County Sheriff's office reported that a 57-year-old woman lost control of her pickup truck on Highway 30 near Arlington and collided with an oncoming truck. The other driver sustained minor injuries.

Meanwhile, the storm also brought strong winds with gusts of up to 96kph, prompting the first-ever tornado warning in San Francisco. The warning included parts of neighboring San Mateo County and affected around one million people. Fortunately, the warning was lifted after about 20 minutes with no reported tornadoes. However, later that day, a tornado touched down near a shopping mall in Scotts Valley, causing damage to cars, trees, and utility poles. The National Weather Service confirmed the tornado and sent a team to investigate the extent of the damage.

Social media was flooded with images and videos of the damage, showing overturned cars, smashed windshields, and downed trees and power lines. Several people were injured and taken to hospitals by the Scotts Valley Police Department. "The tornado has caused extensive damage in several areas, including overturning several vehicles in and around the shopping district on Mt Hermon Drive," said the department in a statement, urging people to avoid the area. One of those injured was a battalion chief with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, according to KSBW-TV.

In San Francisco, the storm brought down trees onto cars and streets, damaging roofs and causing chaos in the city. The National Weather Service reported that this was the first tornado warning for San Francisco and that the damage was still being assessed to confirm the tornado's presence. "This was the first ever warning for a possible tornado in San Francisco. I would guess there wasn't a clear signature on radar for a warning in 2005," said Roger Gass, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service's Monterey office. He clarified that he was not working there in 2005.

The fast-moving storm prompted warnings for residents to take shelter, but many people in the area do not have basements. "The biggest thing that we tell people in the city is to put as many walls between you and the outside as possible," explained Meteorologist Dalton Behringer. In upstate New York, heavy snowfall left residents digging their way out, with reports of over 84 centimeters of snow near Orchard Park. In Nevada, the forecast called for 91 centimeters of snow on the Sierra Nevada mountaintops, with some ski resorts reporting over 30 cm of snowfall and wind gusts of 181kph.

A winter storm warning was set to expire on Saturday night, but an avalanche warning remained in effect for elevations above 2,400 meters around Tahoe. Interstate 80 was closed for a 130-kilometer stretch from Applegate, California to the Nevada line, with rain falling and a winter weather advisory in effect. The California Highway Patrol eventually reopened the road for passenger vehicles with chains or four-wheel drive and snow tires, but it remained closed for semitrailer trucks.

Meanwhile, in western Washington, heavy rain and strong winds caused tens of thousands of people to lose electricity, according to local news outlets. The storm brought chaos and disruption to the area, reminding us of the unpredictable and powerful forces of nature.

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