At_PRP least_AV0 five_CRD people_NN0 are_VBB dead_AJ0 after_PRP a_AT0 powerful_AJ0 storm_NN1 system_NN1 of_PRF more_AV0 than_CJS 20_CRD tornadoes_NN2 swept_VVN through_PRP the_AT0 central_AJ0 United_NP0 States_NP0 on_PRP Wednesday_NP0 with_PRP high_AJ0 winds_NN2 that_CJT spread_VVB wildfires_NN2 and_CJC knocked_VVD down_AVP power_NN1 lines_NN2 ,_PUN leaving_VVG hundreds_CRD of_PRF thousands_CRD of_PRF customers_NN2 without_PRP electricity_NN1 ._SENT Most_DT0 of_PRF the_AT0 fatalities_NN2 occurred_VVN in_PRP vehicle_NN1 crashes_NN2 ._SENT One_CRD person_NN1 driving_VVG a_AT0 truck_NN1 in_PRP Iowa_NP0 died_VVD when_CJS the_AT0 vehicle_NN1 was_VBD hit_VVN by_PRP a_AT0 strong_AJ0 gust_NN1 of_PRF wind_NN1 ,_PUN rolling_VVG it_PNP over_AVP and_CJC into_PRP a_AT0 ditch_NN1 ,_PUN according_VVG to_PRP a_AT0 state_NN1 patrol_NN1 crash_NN1 report_NN1 ._SENT Three_CRD people_NN0 in_PRP Kansas_NP0 died_VVD in_PRP car_NN1 crashes_NN2 ,_PUN while_CJS a_AT0 man_NN1 in_PRP Minnesota_NP0 died_VVD when_CJS a_AT0 40-foot_AJ0 tree_NN1 fell_VVD on_PRP him_PNP ,_PUN according_VVG to_PRP officials_NN2 ._SENT Unprecedented_AJ0 Midwest_NP0 wind_NN1 storm_NN1 caps_VVZ 2021_CRD 's_POS siege_NN1 of_PRF extreme_AJ0 weather_NN1 The_AT0 National_AJ0 Weather_NN1 Service_NN1 confirmed_VVD that_CJT at_PRP least_AV0 21_CRD tornadoes_NN2 touched_VVD down_AVP in_PRP Iowa_NP0 ,_PUN Minnesota_NP0 ,_PUN Nebraska_NP0 and_CJC Wisconsin_NP0 ._SENT At_PRP least_AV0 13_CRD of_PRF those_DT0 touched_VVN down_AVP in_PRP Iowa_NP0 ,_PUN officials_NN2 said_VVD Thursday_NP0 ._SENT The_AT0 unusual_AJ0 weather_NN1 appeared_VVD to_TO0 be_VBI fueled_VVN by_PRP record-breaking_AJ0 warm_AJ0 temperatures_NN2 coupled_VVN with_PRP a_AT0 jet_NN1 stream_NN1 that_CJT meteorologist_NN1 Jeff_NP0 Masters_NP0 said_VVD took_VVD on_PRP a_AT0 "_PUQ very_AV0 unusually_AV0 contorted_AJ0 pattern_NN1 ._SENT "_PUQ It_PNP also_AV0 came_VVD just_AV0 days_NN2 after_PRP devastating_AJ0 tornadoes_NN2 in_PRP nine_CRD states_NN2 left_VVD dozens_CRD dead_AJ0 ._SENT The_AT0 National_AJ0 Weather_NN1 Service_NN1 reported_VVD a_AT0 tornado_NN1 near_PRP Rochester_NP0 in_PRP southeastern_AJ0 Minnesota_NP0 ,_PUN the_AT0 state_NN1 's_POS first_ORD on_PRP record_NN1 in_PRP December_NP0 ._SENT Several_DT0 tornadoes_NN2 reported_VVN in_PRP western_AJ0 and_CJC central_AJ0 Iowa_NP0 also_AV0 were_VBD December_NP0 firsts_NN2 for_PRP those_DT0 parts_NN2 of_PRF the_AT0 state_NN1 ._SENT And_CJC a_AT0 record_NN1 was_VBD set_VVN Wednesday_NP0 for_PRP the_AT0 most_AV0 hurricane-force_AJ0 winds_NN2 of_PRF 75_CRD mph_NN0 or_CJC higher_AJC in_PRP a_AT0 single_AJ0 day_NN1 since_PRP 2004_CRD ,_PUN according_VVG to_PRP the_AT0 Weather_NN1 Service_NN1 ._SENT In_PRP all_DT0 ,_PUN more_AV0 than_CJS 36_CRD million_CRD people_NN0 in_PRP an_AT0 area_NN1 between_PRP New_NP0 Mexico_NP0 and_CJC Michigan_NP0 were_VBD under_PRP high-wind_AJ0 warnings_NN2 ,_PUN as_CJS gusts_NN2 of_PRF up_AVP to_PRP 100_CRD mph_NN0 sent_VVD roofs_NN2 flying_AJ0 and_CJC toppled_AJ0 tractor-trailers_NN2 on_PRP highways_NN2 from_PRP Colorado_NP0 to_PRP Iowa_NP0 ._SENT "_PUQ I_PNP 've_VHB been_VBN a_AT0 meteorologist_NN1 for_PRP 40_CRD years_NN2 ,_PUN and_CJC I_PNP 've_VHB seen_VVN things_NN2 that_CJT have_VHB floored_VVN me_PNP and_CJC boggled_VVD my_DPS mind_NN1 ,_PUN "_PUQ said_VVD Masters_NP0 ,_PUN an_AT0 extreme-weather_AJ0 expert_NN1 at_PRP Yale_NP0 Climate_NN1 Connections_NN2 and_CJC a_AT0 founder_NN1 of_PRF Weather_NN1 Underground_NN1 ._SENT "_PUQ But_CJC I_PNP would_VM0 have_VHI never_AV0 thought_VVN I_PNP would_VM0 see_VVI extremity_NN1 of_PRF the_AT0 weather_NN1 I_PNP saw_VVD last_ORD night_NN1 ._SENT The_AT0 winds_NN2 were_VBD unbelievable_AJ0 ._SENT "_PUQ More_AV0 than_CJS 340_CRD ,_PUN 000_CRD customers_NN2 were_VBD without_PRP power_NN1 in_PRP Wisconsin_NP0 and_CJC Michigan_NP0 as_CJS of_PRF Thursday_NP0 afternoon_NN1 ,_PUN according_VVG to_PRP replaced-dns_NN2 ,_PUN which_DTQ tracks_VVZ outages_NN2 ._SENT 
