Massive winter storm rolls across U.S. with heavy rain, snow and threat of tornadoes and wildfires

A powerful storm system is producing severe weather for millions of Americans from coast to coast, bringing heavy rain and strong winds to California, heavy snow to the Rockies, blizzard conditions to the Plains, thunderstorms and the threat of tornadoes to the Midwest and South and an elevated risk of wildfires to the Southwest and southern Plains.

“This is a powerful storm that will have dangerous and disruptive impacts felt across the country,” AccuWeather senior meteorologist Tom Kines warned. “The West Coast will be hammered with rain and mountain snow. Gusty winds and very dry conditions will create a dangerous fire risk across the Southwest. The risk of severe thunderstorms will increase by the end of the week, as this storm advances eastward.”

Timing and impacts

? Thursday: According to the National Weather Service’s latest forecast, the storm system will continue to bring heavy snow and powerful wind gusts across parts of the Sierra Nevada and Northern California.

"Powerful wind gusts of 40 to 70 mph combined with heavy snow will create treacherous to potentially impossible travel," the weather service said.

Meanwhile, heavy rain continues to trigger flash flood warnings across portions of Southern California.

The Los Angeles Fire Department issued evacuation warnings and orders through Thursday night for residents in some areas scorched by the recent wildfires "due to high mudslide and debris flow risk." And parts of several major roads, including the Pacific Coast Highway, were shut down.

? Friday-Saturday: The system will then move on toward the central and Southern U.S., with "widespread damaging winds, strong tornadoes and large hail" possible from the Mississippi Valley to the Gulf Coast, forecasters say.

“Families and businesses in the region need to prepare for what could be the biggest severe weather outbreak so far this year," AccuWeather's Dan DePodwin warned. "Strong tornadoes could strike after dark, which is extremely dangerous, especially during the overnight hours while many people are asleep.”

? Saturday-Sunday: The system will continue to track east, with severe thunderstorms and the threat of tornadoes continuing across the Southeast and heavy rainfall and high winds in parts of the mid-Atlantic and Northeast by Sunday.

Critical fire weather conditions across southern Plains

The weather service issued critical fire weather warnings across much of the southern Plains through the weekend, as high winds combined with low humidity and dry conditions on the back side of the storm will create an elevated risk for wildfires.

"This sprawling and dynamic system will also pull warm, dry air from the Desert Southwest into the Southern Plains where tightening pressure gradient will generate strong winds and the potential for fire weather," the NWS said.

“This is a dangerous combination of gusty winds in areas with low humidity levels and dry brush,” Kines said. “Any fires that spark could spread rapidly and be extremely difficult to contain. Fires could quickly pose an extreme risk to lives, property and livestock in these conditions. People should also be prepared for dust storms, power outages and travel disruptions as these winds blow through the region.”

Wild winter weather

The storm is the latest in a series of systems to bring extreme weather to parts of the United States this winter.

On Monday, a possible tornado touched down near Orlando, Fla., destroying several homes and hitting a local TV station in the middle of a live weather forecast.

WOFL-TV meteorologist Brooks Garner was on the air when he realized and told everyone in the studio to take cover.

"Get to your safe space under your desk. We're catching debris right now on the roof," Garner said. "?This is a tornado."

There was minimal damage to the building, and there were no reports of injuries.

A preliminary survey from the weather service indicated the tornado briefly reached EF-2 strength, with winds estimated at up to 115 mph.

"?I've been doing this for a very long time,” Garner told viewers after the storm passed. “That's the first time a tornado has hit me while I'm doing the weather.”