A powerful winter storm brewing over the Rocky Mountains is set to pummel the central United States with heavy snow and severe thunderstorms over the next few days.The system, which has already brought blizzard conditions to parts of the Northwest, will unleash its fury on the nations midsection starting Thursday night and into the weekend.Areas from Missouri to Michigan should brace for a broad swath of heavy snowfall, with over 10 inches of accumulation possible in some parts of the Great Lakes region. Strong winds gusting over 40mph will likely cause blowing and drifting snow, making travel extremely hazardous.The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Watch for the Chicago area, warning that blizzard conditions could strike northeast Illinois and northwest Indiana between Friday evening and Saturday morning. Other cities around the Great Lakes like Detroit and Milwaukee also face heavy snow totals that could more than double their seasonal averages so far. Snowstorm affecting several citiesMeanwhile, severe thunderstorms, damaging winds, and possible tornadoes will threaten areas from Texas to the Carolinas and mid-Atlantic on Thursday and Friday. The Storm Prediction Center has highlighted an enhanced risk for dangerous storms across Mississippi, Arkansas, and Louisiana on Thursday, shifting eastward into the Carolinas by Friday.Forecasters say conditions appear ripe for supercell thunderstorm development capable of spawning strong tornadoes. This differs from the past weeks squall line storms that brought more widespread straight-line wind damage.Arctic air followed by the stormBehind the major storm system, the coldest air of the season is set to plunge south, sending temperatures plummeting below zero as far south as Missouri. Along the Canadian border, lows could dip to a bone-chilling -30 degrees. By early next week, the arctic blast will spread across the eastern half of the nation. But uncertainty remains over the duration of the frigid air mass.Will it be a prolonged cold snap or just a temporary taste of winters fury People across the central and eastern U.S. should prepare for major impacts from snow, ice, wind and cold in the coming days.
