A major storm system is forecast to track north-northeast across the Central U.S. through Wednesday night.
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The system is currently located over the central and southern Plains, and will quickly become organized and push north tonight.
Widespread impacts will accompany this system including severe weather in parts of the Central U.S. and winter storm and blizzard conditions in the northern Plains.
Weather conditions in these areas could be life-threatening at times, and those in affected areas should pay close attention to the local NWS Weather Forecast Office for Advisories, Watches, and Warnings.
Severe weather will develop ahead of and along the trailing cold front as it pushes east today and Wednesday.
Areas from the western and central Gulf Coast to the Great Lakes region could see severe thunderstorms.
The highest risk areas through tonight (Tuesday) will be eastern Iowa, northern Illinois, and parts of Arkansas and Missouri where the Storm Prediction Center has issued a Moderate Risk of Severe Thunderstorms.
Potential storm hazards include strong tornadoes, damaging winds, large hail, and locally heavy rainfall and flooding.
The threat area will shift east on Wednesday as the cold front progresses, and the Storm Prediction Center has issued an Enhanced Risk of Severe Thunderstorms from the Lower Ohio River Valley to the Great Lakes Region.
The front will weaken as it approaches the East Coast on Thursday, which will result in a lower risk of severe thunderstorms with only isolated severe storms are expected.
On the northern and western sides of the system, widespread heavy snow totals greater than one foot are forecast from the northern Rockies through the northern Plains.
Some April snowfall records will be challenged in the Dakotas and northwest Minnesota, and the highest totals may locally exceed two feet.
Heavy snow and strong winds will also result in widespread blizzard conditions with near zero visibility, making travel dangerous to impossible.
Cold temperatures will feel even colder due to the strong winds, and life-threatening wind chills below zero are forecast in the northern Plains.
Strong winds associated with the storm system also extend into the southern Plains and Southwest, and widespread High Wind Warnings are in effect.
Sustained winds of 35-40 mph with gusts up to 50-70 mph will remain possible across these areas through tonight.
High winds and low humidity will result in very dangerous fire weather conditions, and the Storm Prediction Center has highlighted an area of Extremely Critical fire weather conditions in parts of Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas and New Mexico.
Winds will gradually decrease overnight.
The warm front connected to the strong low pressure system is lifting north across the East, creating a broad warm sector ahead of the storm.
Temperatures are well above average in the East and will remain above average for much of the region through Thursday.
Widespread highs in the 70s and 80s are forecast east of the Mississippi River on Wednesday, which is approximately 15-25 degrees above average! Temperatures in the West are on the opposite side of the spectrum with well below average temperatures across much of the region.
Widespread below average temperatures are forecast to continue through Wednesday, then moderate towards the end of the work week.
Temperatures will decrease across the east after the cold front passes late Thursday and Friday. ■