Severe US winter storm leaves millions facing snow, ice or heavy rain: live updates

Some 70 million people are under a weather alert on Sunday due to a winter storm that will bring snow, ice and rain barrels across the US from the Central Plains to the mid-Atlantic.

Throughout the day, the storm will spread eastward from the Ohio River Valley and reach the mid-Atlantic late Sunday or early Monday. The system will likely create dangerous travel conditions and power outages to many throughout the country.

Hazardous travel conditions are expected as the storm brings the possibility of more than a foot of snow in many areas. Power outages are also likely in areas with heavy ice.

“For some, this could be the heaviest snowfall in more than a decade,” NOAA’s Weather Prediction Center said in a statement.

An ice storm has already hit southern Illinois, western Kentucky and southeastern Missouri, and the National Weather Service warned that travel in the region is “strongly discouraged.”

Many states, including Arkansas, Kentucky, Missouri and Virginia, have issued states of emergency ahead of the storm.

“This winter storm will likely cause significant disruption and dangerous conditions on our roadways and could lead to major power outages, just 24 hours before dangerously cold weather sets in,” Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said in a statement.

Key points

• Brutal winter storm stretches from Central Plains to mid-Atlantic

Arctic air will affect millions of people and reach South Florida

15:48 , Katie Hawkins

Freezing Arctic air will affect the eastern two-thirds of the US, the Associated Press reports, sending strong, frigid wind chills to millions of people.

This arctic explosion will even affect Florida, according to AP.

“The wind chill is going to be brutal,” climate scientist at the Woodwell Climate Research Institute, Jennifer Francis, told the outlet.

This wind could lead to the coldest January in the country since 2011, said Accuweather director of forecast operations Dan DePodwin.

This winter storm is expected to make road travel particularly dangerous, causing heavy snow and ice in several states.

What to expect as winter storm hits much of US

15:43 , Katie Hawkins

According to the National Weather Service, a “major winter storm” that will bring “a significant amount of snow and ice” across the Central Plains and mid-Atlantic regions will hit today through Monday.

Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska could see winds over 40 mph and 15 inches of snow today. Meanwhile, up to 14 inches of snow could reach northeast Missouri through the central Appalachians.

A “substantial area” of freezing rain is also expected today from Kansas to the central Appalachians.

The mid-Atlantic region, including the major metropolitan areas of Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., will see the worst of the storm tonight through Monday.

Brutal winter storm stretches from Central Plains to mid-Atlantic

15:38 , Katie Hawkins

A winter storm will hit the US today and Monday, bringing up to a foot of snow along with ice and rain for millions of people.

Some 70 million people are under some form of weather alert this morning as the storm intensifies. Hazardous travel conditions and power outages are expected as the system moves from the Ohio River Valley to the East Coast late Sunday into Monday.

“For some, this could be the heaviest snowfall in more than a decade,” NOAA’s Weather Prediction Center said in a statement.

Follow live updates from The Independent.