U.S. midsection braces for storms, high winds

STATE COLLEGE, Pa., Oct. 5 (UPI) -- Storms with damaging winds and flooding rains are expected across the middle of the United States Saturday, weather forecasters say.

Conditions that brought severe weather, including hail and tornadoes, to parts of the country Friday could be duplicated, AccuWeather reported.

Cold air from the West is projected to mix with warm, moist air over the Midwest to produce thunderstorms in an area stretching from Wisconsin to Arkansas. The storms could be accompanied by wind gusts of 40-60 mph, meteorologists said. Torrential rains could cause flooding.

The storms are projected to end Saturday night, but regenerate Sunday, moving east to affect a swath from Buffalo, N.Y., to Nashville.

Blizzard-like conditions Friday dropped snow at the rate of 1-2 inches an hour in Wyoming, western South Dakota and northwestern Nebraska, putting the brakes on travel in some area, CNN reported. Hazardous conditions closed portions of Interstates 25 and 90, as well as U.S. Routes 14, 16, and 20 Friday in central and eastern Wyoming.

The National Weather Service said nearly 44 inches of snow had fallen in Lead, S.D., by Saturday morning.

Denver International Airport reported 470 storm-related flight delays.

At least 14 people were injured Friday when tornadoes ripped through South Dakota, Iowa and Nebraska, authorities said.

Wind gusts were measured at more than 60 mph. In Monroe, Iowa, one gust was measured at 70 mph.