Three storms will hit the United States with “everything but the kitchen sink” during three days of heavy snow, blizzards and flooding.
Storm Ember will batter the East Coast today before Storm Finn and a third unnamed storm combine to unleash a brutal winter attack.
Large swaths of America are on alert for heavy snow, disruptive blizzards, thunderstorms, freezing fog and arctic storms.
The National Weather Service (NOAA) has sounded the alarm about a “major” and “rapidly strengthening” winter storm.
The National Weather Service (NOAA) has sounded the alarm for a “major” and “fast-strengthening” winter storm.
Weather channel
A spokesperson said: “There are three storm systems that are and/or will impact the area [United States] During the next few days.
“A major winter storm will produce additional heavy snow in northeastern and central Appalachia, and a fast-strengthening storm will produce widespread and significant impacts over much of the central United States.”
A “severe” storm is expected to sweep east from the West Coast in the coming days, according to independent meteorologists.
Those in the line of fire have been warned to prepare for “significant impacts” from heavy rain, snow and strong storms.
The first storm was scheduled to intensify last night before driving three storms across the United States during the week.
The eastern and central states will witness the peak of the attack in the middle of the week, according to the Weather Channel.
“A severe storm surge will flow from the west into central and eastern states early next week with the potential for significant impacts from snow, wind, heavy rain and severe weather,” said meteorologist Chris Dolce.
“The widespread storm will deliver everything but the kitchen sink in terms of impacts as it makes its way from the west into the central and eastern states.
“Impacts will peak in the central and eastern states on Monday and Tuesday, continuing into Wednesday for some, and low pressure will intensify as it moves from the southern Plains toward the Great Lakes.”
Storm Ember unleashed the first wave of snow, rain and wind near the end of the weekend, with Storm Finn threatening to bring snow, the Weather Channel said.
She added that the impacts on those living in the worst-hit areas would “cover the full spectrum”, although the exact track of the storms remains uncertain.
A company spokesperson said: “Ember is producing snow from parts of New York and Pennsylvania to New England. Some coastal areas are seeing rain or a mix of rain and snow.
“The snow side of this storm has been named Winter Storm Finn by the Weather Channel.”
Snow and rain are set to move across the country
Weather channel
NOAA's map of state “warnings” highlights the risk of winter storms in the central and southwestern regions, with more widespread general storm alerts and separate warnings for high winds.
Stormy weather systems will pull in a column of cold air, putting large swaths of the state at risk of heavy snowfall.
Strong winds are expected to whip up blizzards across the Midwest and Plains, while heavy rains will hit the temperate South.
“There will be a band of cold air coming from Canada that will move northeast in the wake of these storms,” said Jim Dale, a US weather correspondent and meteorologist at the UK's Met Office.
He added: “This will increase the risk of heavy snowfall in parts, especially over hills and mountainous areas, and heavy rain elsewhere.”
“The first storm comes in from the Gulf of Mexico, and after that the very choppy weather is likely to continue into midweek.”
