US Weather Forecast: A massive, deadly storm that will bring heavy snow and hazardous travel conditions has formed a hurricane to the east.

CNN
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The Deadly storm system Destruction of homes in the south moves east, and threatens tornadoes, freezing rain, treacherous travel and power outages.

At least two people were killed in Louisiana as the system’s vicious winds tore through communities From Oklahoma to Texas to Mississippi.

Now on the cold side of this massive, multifaceted storm, about 40 million people from Utah, Idaho and Montana to New England are under a winter weather warning Wednesday. In at least four states, about half a million people were under blizzard warnings as of Thursday morning.

Here’s what different parts of the country can expect:

• Down on the Gulf Coast, Strong tornadoes, damaging winds and large hail could impact cities including New Orleans and Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on Wednesday; Biloxi and Hattiesburg, Mississippi; and east to Alabama, Alabama. The U.S. Storm Prediction Center has issued a tornado watch and called it an “extremely dangerous situation.” That designation is used when more significant threats are expected, including strong, long-tracked cyclones.

• In the northern plains, widespread blizzard conditions will continue Wednesday, with some whiteouts. With wind gusts up to 55 mph, snow can make travel dangerous.

Already, a 700-mile stretch of Interstate 80 is closed from Wyoming to Nebraska, where road travel is nearly impossible. Other major interstates — including I-90 and I-94 — may also be closed.

• In the upper Midwest and Northern Plains, 8 to 12 inches of snow could fall between Wednesday and Thursday. Cities in northeastern Minnesota could be buried under 2 feet of snow.

• Central Appalachians Between one-tenth and one-quarter of an inch of freezing rain is possible overnight Wednesday into Thursday evening — including parts of Virginia, Pennsylvania and the Maryland Panhandle. A blizzard warning has been issued for the area until Thursday night due to significant accumulation of snow.

• Parts of Pennsylvania A double whammy: Freezing rain And Snow Thursday and Friday.

• New York and inland areas of New England A new storm formed by this system is expected to wrap up by the end of the week A nor’easter. It will move across the Mid-Atlantic on Thursday, spreading a mix of rain, snow and ice.

• Major Northeast coastal cities Expect 1 to 2 inches of heavy rain over the weekend from the nor’easter, and “some light but impactful freezing rain, sleet and snow mixed with the I-95 corridor Thursday morning,” the weather forecaster warned.

Blizzard warnings are in effect across parts of Nebraska, where many roads are closed — including all roads from Nebraska to Colorado — the state Department of Transportation said.

The “one-in-five-year storm” that began Tuesday is expected to last through the weekend, National Weather Service meteorologist Bill Taylor said.

Residents will endure near-zero visibility, hazardous travel conditions and possible power outages.

Blizzard warnings are also in place for parts of Minnesota, South Dakota and Wyoming.