Sprawling System Brings Warnings for Extreme Weather to Much of the U.S.

What forecasters are calling an “unusually strong” storm system for this time of year is poised to intensify on Tuesday, bringing warnings for blizzard conditions to the Plains, wildfire weather to Texas, severe storms in the South and strong winds across the Central United States.

The most significant threat is from severe storms in the South. The system has already led to the cancellation of some Mardi Gras festivities in New Orleans.
To the north, the storm is expected to bring blizzard conditions across the central Plains, including portions of Colorado, Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa, Minnesota and Missouri.
Potentially historic conditions for fire weather could lead to blazes across the Texas Hill Country and south central Texas on Tuesday, including Austin and San Antonio.
The system is expected to affect much of the East Coast on Wednesday.

The storm has been steamrolling across the country this week. Meteorologists predict that strengthening winds and an influx of warm, moist air from the Gulf will create favorable conditions for severe weather across the South. By Tuesday afternoon and evening, conditions in the region will be ripe for severe storms. Forecasters have warned of damaging gusts, hail and possible tornadoes from eastern Oklahoma through Alabama and far western parts of Florida.

A Tornado watch was in effect in portions of Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas on Tuesday morning.

Marc Chenard, a meteorologist with the Weather Prediction Center, said the question is not whether severe storms will occur across the South, but how strong they will be. At a minimum, a line of thunderstorms is expected to develop and sweep through Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama on a scale that people typically there see multiple times a year.

There is also a possibility that the storms could also be significantly stronger, as well as include strong tornadoes that may cause damage.

The most likely scenario is somewhere in between.

Elevated

Critical

Extremely Critical

Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access.

Already a subscriber? Log in.