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Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US
A storm moving across the U.S. is forecast to impact millions of Americans, bringing the potential for dangerous travel conditions, significant snow and strong winds.
The system, which is heading eastward after providing wildfire-ravaged Southern California with some much-needed precipitation, is bringing winter weather and rain across the Southwest on Wednesday. It will continue to move east hitting nearly every region and bringing weather changes to more than 300 million.
In the nation’s Southwest, snow fell overnight on Monday and into Tuesday, making roads at trails at Arizona’s Grand Canyon National Park icy.
Showers moved through the Phoenix metro area on Wednesday morning and over central Arizona.
“Light rain showers are possible across the lower deserts of Arizona with higher elevation snowfall (mainly above 4000 feet) also possible,” forecasters in the state’s capital city wrote.
In New Mexico, the winter storm would begin on Wednesday, with snow increasing and expanding over the western and northern regions into Thursday. Winter travel impacts were expected as the system passes through.
“Gusty winds are also likely Thursday, with difficult to hazardous crosswinds across east [and] south central New Mexico,” forecasters warned.
The National Weather Service in Colorado also advised residents to be cautious of icy and snow-covered roads for the Thursday morning commute.
Snow squalls, brief periods of heavy snowfall with low visibility and reduced winds, from another system are possible through Wednesday for the Great Lakes, Mid-Atlantic, New England and Northeast, according to the agency.
To the south and east of the storm’s track, rain is projected, resulting in potential flooding, according to forecasting company AccuWeather.
Some areas from Texas to Kentucky could see as many as 7 inches of downpours.
“Rain will fall in an area of the South Central states that has experienced well-below-historical-average precipitation this month,” AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Courtney Travis said in a statement. “San Antonio and Austin are both in an extreme drought. The area could use the rain, but too much rain too quickly could lead to flooding concerns.”
There’s also a risk of strong to severe thunderstorms, including hail and power winds in Texas on Wednesday and Thursday.
To the north, snow and ice are possible in the Midwest and Northeast by the end of the week.
“Depending on its track, the storm on Friday may bring snow or a wintry mix as far north as Chicago, Detroit and Cleveland in the Midwest,” Travis said.
