Winter Storm Update: 13 Dead as Massive Storms Hit US | HNGN [Video]

A massive winter storm dropped heavy snow across most of the northern tier and slammed the South with violent thunderstorms and tornadoes that left around 500,000 Americans from Kentucky to Michigan without power Sunday.

AccuWeather said at least 13 people had died due to the winter storm, which had initially dumped several feet of snow on the mountains of California before moving east, according to USA Today.

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear announced five fatalities in Kentucky when winds of over 70 mph brought down trees, and power lines, and damaged homes and other buildings. After hundreds of thousands of Kentuckians lost power during Friday’s high-speed wind storm, power crews in Louisville and around the state worked tirelessly on Sunday to restore service.

Tornadoes and strong thunderstorms were created by the weather system in the South. According to poweroutage.us, more than 173,500 buildings in Kentucky did not have electricity on Sunday evening.

In Michigan, about 71,400 people lacked access …