A massive storm system is sweeping across the United States, set to bring a range of severe weather conditions on Friday, including the threat of tornadoes in the Mississippi Valley, blizzards in the northern Plains, and dry, windy conditions in Texas and Oklahoma that may lead to extreme wildfire risks. The National Weather Service has warned that over 100 million people will be affected by this formidable weather event.
Powerful winds, with gusts reaching up to 80 mph (130 kph), are expected from the Canadian border all the way to the Rio Grande in Texas. Meteorologists expect the severe weather to persist into the weekend, pushing further south as the storm threat escalates. Areas such as New Orleans and Birmingham, Alabama, could experience tornadoes and damaging winds on Saturday. Additionally, heavy rainfall is anticipated for the East Coast on Sunday, which may cause flash flooding in some regions.
According to experts, March is often a month of significant weather extremes due to the combination of warming spring temperatures and lingering winter cold, which create substantial temperature differentials conducive to storm development. Meteorologist Benjamin Reppert from Penn State University noted, "If there’s a time of the year where a storm like this can deliver these coast-to-coast impacts, we are in it."
On Friday afternoon, a regional outbreak of severe storms is predicted, affecting areas stretching from the Great Lakes to the Gulf Coast. The Storm Prediction Center has highlighted a severe storm threat for around 17 million people, particularly in eastern Missouri, much of Illinois, and portions of Iowa, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Arkansas. On Saturday, the tornado risk is expected to extend further south into the Gulf Coast states, including New Orleans and areas of eastern Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama.
In the Northern Plains, forecasters are also issuing warnings of blizzard conditions, particularly for the Dakotas and Minnesota. Heavy snow accompanied by strong winds is likely to create hazardous travel conditions across the Rockies and Northern Plains. Winter storm warnings that began Thursday will remain in effect into Friday for mountainous areas of Arizona and Utah, where snowfall totals could exceed a foot (30 centimeters). Travelers in these regions are advised to maintain extra food and water supplies in case of being stranded due to poor visibility and icy road conditions.
The winter storm has already blanketed the Sierra Nevada with up to 3 feet (90 centimeters) of snow earlier in the week. Meanwhile, the Southern Plains and parts of the Southwest face unprecedented risks of wildfires due to warm, dry weather combined with sustained winds up to 45 mph (72 kph). The weather service has described the conditions as "near historic" for creating wildfire ignition potential, with possible wind gusts exceeding 80 mph (128 kph).
During a special briefing, forecasters offered advice for individuals driving in treacherous weather, urging them to keep a firm grip on the steering wheel while staying vigilant for fallen trees, power lines, and debris. They also cautioned that strong winds would kick up dust, leading to potential brownout conditions. Lead forecaster Randall Hergert from the Albuquerque weather service remarked, "This is likely to be the worst dust storm so far this year."
Additionally, the weather service highlighted an extreme risk of fires in northern Texas, much of Oklahoma, and southeast Kansas. A broader area deemed critical for fire threats extends from eastern New Mexico across Texas and into southern Iowa. There is also a potential for dry thunderstorms in parts of Kansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, and Arkansas, raising the alarm that lightning could ignite fires with minimal rainfall to contain them.
