A massive winter storm will hit large parts of the U.S. through the weekend

"A massive winter storm system is forecast to sweep the country this weekend, stretching from Central Texas through the Northeast. The National Weather Service says the system will dump heavy snow, sleet and freezing rain from the Southern Plains to the Mid-South starting Friday. The storm is expected to move across the East Coast throughout the weekend, according to a bulletin from the NWS posted on Wednesday. The NWS warned of "treacherous travel conditions, prolonged power outages, and tree damage," across the southeast U.S. Government officials in these areas are asking residents to avoid traveling and prepare for possible power outages."

"A blast of cold air from Canada will mix with warmer air from the south, bringing significant snow and ice accumulations, forecasters said. The wind chill may fall below negative 50 degrees Fahrenheit across the Northern Plains, including in parts of North Dakota and Minnesota, while people from Texas to North Carolina could feel wind chills below zero, according to the NWS. Forecasters are confident in their predictions of "an impactful and prolonged winter storm" but specific details on exactly where the storm will hit and how much precipitation will fall may change."

A massive winter storm will sweep from Central Texas through the Northeast beginning Friday, bringing heavy snow, sleet and freezing rain from the Southern Plains to the Mid-South. The system will move across the East Coast through the weekend, prompting winter storm watches across many states including Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Mississippi, Kentucky, Missouri, Louisiana, Tennessee, North Carolina, West Virginia and Virginia. The NWS warned of treacherous travel conditions, prolonged power outages and tree damage. A surge of Arctic air mixing with southern warmth will produce significant snow, ice and extreme wind chills, with readings possibly below −50°F across parts of the Northern Plains. Government officials advise avoiding travel and preparing for outages as forecasters expect an impactful, prolonged storm though exact precipitation amounts and local impacts may change.

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