CNN
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A massive winter storm system unleashed dangerous blizzard conditions across parts of the central U.S., closing highways and stranding drivers in frigid temperatures Monday, and also pummeling parts of the South with hailstorms, heavy flooding and tornado threats.
The fast-moving storm is making its way east and will cover more than 1,800 miles in 72 hours, bringing noticeable snowfall to more than a half-dozen states.
The system strengthened as it moved out of the Four Corners area — where snow fell, grounding some travel Sunday — and into the southern Plains Monday afternoon.
By Monday evening, heavy snow and strong winds extended from the Texas Panhandle to Nebraska, where authorities had already responded to dozens of weather-related accidents on the road and Residents urged Do not travel due to dangerous bleaching conditions.
To the south, heavy rain and blizzards were moving across Mississippi and parts of Louisiana, while millions of people were also at risk from tornadoes.
The first hurricane watch of 2024 was issued Monday for parts of Texas and southwest Louisiana. A second hurricane watch was issued through Monday night for southeastern Louisiana and the Mississippi coast covering cities including Baton Rouge and New Orleans.
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The forecast model shows where places are expected to see heavy rain and snow Monday through Wednesday.
It all comes as more states brace for severe weather on Tuesday, including parts of the Northeast, where leaders warned of the potential for dangerous rain and coastal flooding.
Here's what to expect as January's powerful storm continues to move through.
Hurricanes and severe storms
The risk of flooding, damaging winds, and tornadoes at danger level is more common in the spring than in the second week of January.
More than 9 million people are under Level 3 out of 5 severe storm threats Monday from Texas to Florida. More than 11 million people face the same threat level Tuesday from Florida's Panhandle to North Carolina's Outer Banks.
Along the Gulf Coast, warm, moist air will increase the risk of severe storms that could unleash some powerful tornadoes, damaging winds and hail.
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Tornado risks will increase Monday night – an extremely dangerous situation for parts of the Gulf Coast. Nighttime tornadoes are twice as deadly as daytime tornadoes, mainly because a large portion of the population is asleep and misses warnings.
Meteorologists at the National Weather Service office in Mobile, Alabama, warned of a “high-impact event for our area” that “could be one of the most impactful non-tropical systems” to reach their forecast area.
The same system is expected to move across the Southeast throughout Tuesday. There is a 3 out of 5 risk of severe storms for Tallahassee, Florida, Savannah, Georgia, Charleston, South Carolina, and Jacksonville, Florida. Tornadoes and damaging winds also pose threats with the strongest storms.
Major inland and coastal flooding is likely
An equally serious concern is the potential for major flooding due to the storm's strong winds blowing water ashore and strong storm surges that cause rain. Flooding is being monitored across the Southeast on Monday and in the Northeast on Tuesday.
“Widespread and possibly significant river and river flooding are possible from the central Gulf Coast across much of the eastern United States early this week,” the Weather Prediction Center said. “Strong onshore winds will cause widespread coastal flooding along the eastern Gulf Coast and much of the East Coast.”
Precipitation is widespread, ranging from 1 to 3 inches It is expected to extend from the Gulf Coast to New England with isolated locations exceeding 4 inches.
There is a Level 3 of 4 risk for heavy rainfall and flooding from eastern Louisiana into the Florida Panhandle on Monday.
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There is a serious concern about flooding in the Northeast as this next wave of rain arrives just after the first snowstorm dropped more than a half-foot of snow in multiple states in the Northeast.
Heavy rains will accelerate the melting of snow and increase the amount of water flowing into waterways, raising the possibility of flooding in these areas. As a result, there is a Level 3 of 4 risk of heavy rain for parts of the Northeast and North Carolina on Tuesday. The Level 2 of 4 threat extends from Georgia through Massachusetts.
The precipitation is both a gift and a worry for Louisiana and Mississippi – both of which are still experiencing serious droughts, although the drought has already improved significantly since November after recent heavy rains.
Locations along the Gulf Coast from New Orleans to Tallahassee, Florida, are more than 5 inches above normal for precipitation since Dec. 1, so it won't take much for saturated ground to get soaked.
Wind is another concern with saturated ground. It makes trees more likely to fall on power lines or homes. Tuesday's winds will be strong enough to cause such damage.
Widespread winds of 40 to 60 mph are likely across a wide swath of the central and eastern United States as the storm reaches full strength on Tuesday.
The Weather Prediction Center warned people to “prepare for power outages” due to potentially damaging winds.
More than 100 million people across the United States are under wind advisories that extend Monday, Tuesday, or both.
Coastal areas are likely to withstand some of the strongest winds from the storm.
The National Weather Service's office in Boston indicated they may need to issue hurricane-force wind watches — a warning of winds similar to a Category 1 hurricane — for coastal areas if the worst of the hurricane fears come true.
The winds will also cause waves to be 8 to 11 feet high and significant beach erosion will likely occur. Dangerous rip currents are also likely and will continue until at least midweek.
Winter storm watches extend more than 1,000 miles from Arizona to Michigan as the storm makes its way.
Blizzard warnings are in effect Monday for parts of New Mexico, eastern Colorado, Oklahoma, the Texas Panhandles, western Kansas and southwestern Nebraska. Snow could bury parts of the area on Monday.
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Poor visibility and difficult to near-impossible driving conditions were already beginning in the central and southern Plains on Monday and shifting into the Midwest on Tuesday. Heavy snow is likely to target areas from eastern Nebraska and northern Missouri to Michigan on Tuesday.
Strong winds will also push wind chill values below zero in some locations in the plains, especially Monday night and Tuesday night.
Snowfall will then spread to the interior northeastern areas Tuesday afternoon and evening. Snow will continue to fall, especially in higher elevations in New York and New England, through Wednesday.
The storm appears to be over by the end of the week, but another storm could follow a similar path and impact some of the same areas from Friday through the weekend.
CNN's Robert Shackelford, Taylor Ward and Christina Maxouris contributed to this report.
