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'Texas Hooker' Set to Barrel Into Midwest

by Jenny Hollander

First, there was the "Polar Vortex," which we remember fondly as the "Poehler Vortex," and now the "Texas Hooker" storm is about to strike. No joke: That's the actual, quippy name for a kind of storm that's barreling towards the Midwest, officially called a "Panhandle Hook." It's been nicknamed the Texas Hooker because it usually takes shape over Texas, and its path physically resembles a hook. So what is the Texas Hooker, and what sort of damage should we expect?

Well, the Midwest is currently preparing for Texas Hooker to strike, and though it's a relatively rare kind of storm, it's been responsible for some of America's most notorious and deadly weather conditions. The East Coast will see a few days of balmier weather before the storm hits, but the Texas Hooker will leave the East Coast with a few days of positively freezing weather.

And the Midwest? Well, the storm is preparing to impact millions of Americans, and blizzard conditions are predicted in parts of Iowa and Minnesota between Thursday and Friday. The most severe weather will likely strike parts of Kentucky and Tennessee.

By nature, the storm "hooks" onto the Northeast and delivers its blow to the Midwest. It's possible that it'll cause a couple of tornadoes, but the swift, freezing winds it'll incite are likely the biggest threat: They could cause gusts that become hurricanes in a dozen states. Slate reports that the ensuing temperatures will be "polar vortex-like," which is less of a fond memory than, say, Amy Poehler memes.