According to the National Weather Service (NWS), the storm system brought large hail to portions of the Black Hills, western South Dakota (pictured) plains and northeastern Wyoming on Sunday
According to the National Weather Service (NWS), the storm system brought large hail to portions of the Black Hills, western South Dakota (pictured) plains and northeastern Wyoming on Sunday
Severe thunderstorms swept through the Plains and parts of the South bringing hailstones the size of baseballs and damaging winds up to 72mph from the Dakotas to Tennessee as forecasters warn the Northeast to brace for some mid-May snow.

According to the National Weather Service (NWS), the storm system brought large hail to portions of the Black Hills, western South Dakota plains and northeastern Wyoming on Sunday.

'The largest hail reported occurred in Jackson County between Potato Creek and Wanblee, where tennis ball- to baseball-sized hail was reported,' the NWS said.

Hail larger than 1 inch in diameter and wind gusts of up to 58mph were reported in multiple locations.

But the largest hail fell near Potato Creek, where it measured 2.75 inches in diameter.



In Tennessee, storms with high winds swept through the state knocking down trees and power lines, causing one death and leaving more than 100,000 customers without power, officials said.

The storms caused one of the largest power outages on record in Nashville, with about 130,000 people without power at one point, according to the Nashville Electric Service.

Officials warned that power for some customers will continue to be out for at least a week, but it could be as long as two weeks for others.

Wind gusts knocked down a tree in Tennessee during a severe storm on Sunday
Wind gusts knocked down a tree in Tennessee during a severe storm on Sunday
'The outage is widespread and large scale and will take some time to get all power restored,' said Decosta Jenkins, the president and CEO of Nashville Electric Service, while speaking to reporters during Nashville's daily COVID-19 briefing.

A wind gust of 72mph was reported at the airport, the NWS said.

Spring Hill Firefighter Mitchell Earwood died due to 'a tragic weather-related incident at his home,' the Spring Hill Police Department said in a statement.

Earwood was fatally injured by a tree branch while he was off-duty. Earwood served the city for 10 years. Earwood was off-duty at the time.

'Mitchell was a dear friend and a true public servant giving his all. He will be sadly missed. Our prayers go out to all his family and friends as we stand with our brothers and sisters of Spring Hill Fire Department,' local police said.

Snow covered a road in South Dakota on Sunday during a storm system that brought on large hailstones
Hail covered a road in South Dakota on Sunday during a storm system that brought on large hailstones
In Kansas, a section of Interstate 70 between Manhattan and Wamego was closed Monday after a storm packing strong winds blew down power lines, the Kansas State Highway Patrol said.

Winds also blew down a power line on Kansas 177 just south of interstate 70, closing a section of that highway.

The strong winds also toppled a semi-trailer truck about two miles east of Silver Lake on US 24 in Shawnee County. The driver was not injured.

The winds reached up to 70mph as it moved from Manhattan east into the Kansas City metro region.

Thousands of people were left without power and there were reports of downed trees and some damaged outbuildings, but no reports of serious injuries.

In Missouri, one person died after strong winds knocked a tree into a home in western Missouri on Monday as a storm system moved through the area.

The Bates County Sheriff's office said emergency response personnel were called Monday morning to a home in rural Butler, about 65 miles south of Kansas City.

Rescuers used an excavator and chain saws to remove the tree but the person was found dead inside. No details about the victim have been released.


Meanwhile, forecasters warned residents of the Northeast United States to brace for snow.

'As the Western US warms up, winter tries to make a return to the Northeast late this week into next weekend,' the NWS tweeted.

'High temperature 10 to 20 degrees below normal will feel more like late March than early May. Across the higher terrain of New York into New England, snow is possible.'

According to Accuweather.com, high temperatures in New York City this weekend may only hit 50F, instead of 70F, which is the average for the date.

'It's not going to just get cold; it's going to snow and accumulate in some areas of the Northeast as well,' Accuweather's forecaster, Paul Pastelok, said.

Residents in northern Ohio, southwestern Pennsylvania, northern West Virginia, northern New Jersey and southern New England are likely to see snowflakes before the cold system leaves the area.

There is also a chance of a rain and snow mix in Boston and around New York City.

The storm system is expected to create what is called a large closed low pressure area in the jet stream, which is common during the spring.

But forecasters said that the magnitude of the incoming storm system happens every 15 to 30 years this late in the season, according to Accuweather.

"It's like a late-spring version of the polar vortex. If this same pattern was going on during January and February with the major blocking in the jet stream, we would be in a deep freeze with frequent snowstorms in the eastern United States,' Pastelok said.

Similar phenomenons have occurred in the past. Pittsburgh saw snow as late as May 25 in 1925 and Buffalo, New York, recorded snow as late as May 20 in 1907.