Winter storm, supermoon, West Virginia teachers strike: 5 things to know Tuesday

Editors
Updated
A powerful storm will roar across the country over the next 2-3 days, spreading heavy snow, torrential rain, and crippling ice to more than 200 million Americans.

Look up! A supermoon is here

Whether you call it super, snow or full, the biggest, brightest moon of the year is here. A supermoon occurs when the moon is as close as it ever gets to Earth. On Tuesday, our moon will "only" be about 221,000 miles from Earth, which is about 17,000 miles closer than average. If it's still dark and not cloudy where you are, you have a chance to see the supermoon this morning; it will still be mostly full Tuesday night. The supermoon will appear especially big just as it rises above the horizon due to the "moon illusion" – how your brain processes objects on the horizon, scientists say.

Coast-to-coast storm to bring weather misery to 200 million

Is it spring yet? Another winter storm is making its way across the country Tuesday, spreading snow and ice all the way from the Desert Southwest to the central U.S. And it's just getting started: By Wednesday, the threat for heavy snow, ice, and dangerous travel will expand across the Midwest, Ohio Valley, Mid Atlantic and the Northeast. By Wednesday, the big cities of the East will see snow and freezing rain. Folks in the South will also get in on the dismal weather Tuesday and Wednesday. While snow won't be an issue there, drenching rain will soak portions of Mississippi, Alabama and Tennessee with as much as a half-foot of rain. Flood watches have been posted for nearly 20 million people from Arkansas to West Virginia.

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West Virginia teachers go on strike

West Virginia teachers' unions announced they will go on strike Tuesday, almost one year after a statewide walkout and in response to a bill they say is retaliatory. Union leaders at a news conference late Monday cited frustration with Republican leaders’ deliberations over proposed education legislation. The state's teachers went on 13-day strike that began a year ago Friday, protesting their pay and insurance plan. The walkout inspired teacher demonstrations around the country. Union leaders said they will consider the situation day by day when it comes to the length of the strike.

Honda shutting down UK factory ahead of Brexit

Honda will close a car factory in western England with the loss of 3,500 jobs, in another blow to a British economy made jittery by Brexit. The Japanese carmaker confirmed Tuesday that the Swindon plant will close in 2021. Honda makes its popular Civic model at the factory, 70 miles west of London. Announcing the decision at a news conference in Tokyo, Honda’s president and CEO, Takahiro Hachigo, said it was based on what made most sense for the firm's global competitiveness in light of the need to accelerate its production of electric vehicles. He said Brexit was not the main factor behind the decision. The news comes as British businesses are issuing increasingly urgent warnings about the damage being done by the uncertainty around Britain’s looming exit from the European Union on March 29.

Presidents Day deals still going on

The holiday weekend may be over but the deals aren't! To make it easier for you to find what you're looking for, we've found the best retailers having sales: You can buy two Living DNA kits for $69 each (Save $60). A Samsung soundbar that has been making waves for its superior sound quality, is more than half off right now. Yes, this soundbar that costs $1,700 everywhere else is only $800 on Massdrop now through Tuesday. That's insanity.

Contributing: The Associated Press

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Winter storm, supermoon, West Virginia teachers strike: 5 things to know Tuesday