New York, Feb 16, (V7N) - Weather forecasters have issued warnings for a major "coast-to-coast winter storm" set to impact the U.S. this weekend, with heavy snow, sleet, freezing rain, and the risk of flooding in multiple regions.
 
The National Weather Service's Weather Prediction Center has advised of hazardous driving conditions and potential power outages in the Northeast, as well as the threat of flooding in states like Ohio and Kentucky.
 
Meanwhile, the storm has moved past Southern California, where an atmospheric river caused flooding, mudslides, and even a small tornado in the Los Angeles area.
 
The storm is being followed by an arctic blast, which will move across the north-central U.S. this weekend and spread south and east next week, potentially bringing the heaviest snowfall of the winter for millions of Americans.
 
The central Great Lakes and northern New England regions are expected to experience widespread snow on Saturday afternoon and evening, with Michigan, upstate New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, northern Massachusetts, and interior Maine expected to receive the heaviest snow. Some areas, including parts of Michigan, could see up to 14 inches of snow.
 
The Northeast is also at risk of sleet and freezing rain, which could impact driving conditions and lead to power outages.
 
As the storm progresses over the weekend, heavy rain is expected to spread from the lower to mid-Mississippi Valley, into the Tennessee and Ohio Valleys, with rain totals possibly reaching 3 to 6 inches, and up to 8 inches in some areas. Northwestern Tennessee and western Kentucky face the greatest risk of flash flooding, with moderate flood risks in the Mid-South and Ohio Valley, as well as slight flood risks further east.
 
Strong to severe thunderstorms are predicted in the lower Mississippi Valley and Mid-South, bringing damaging winds and the potential for tornadoes.
 
In the upper Midwest, Winter Weather Advisories have been issued due to expected snowfall of 3 to 6 inches, with moderate to heavy snow moving into the Great Lakes by Saturday.
 
Next week, impactful snowfall is expected to disrupt daily life from the Central Plains, Ozarks, Ohio and Tennessee Valleys, and the Northeast corridor.
 
An arctic blast moving south from Canada will bring dangerously cold temperatures, with some areas in the north and central Plains likely to see highs not rising above zero by Sunday. Colder temperatures will spread into the southern Plains and Mississippi Valley, with highs in the 30s and 40s expected by Sunday.
 
In California, the region is expected to experience warm and dry weather after the rain that caused mudslides in Los Angeles.
 
The Pacific Northwest is expected to see rain late Saturday, spreading into the Rockies on Sunday. That moisture will combine with a stationary arctic front late Sunday into early Monday, bringing snow from the northern Rockies into the northern Plains.
 
The National Weather Service has urged the public to stay prepared for the upcoming weather events and stay updated with the latest forecasts.
 
END/WD/SMA/