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A great snowstorm covers Philadelphia 0:41
(CNN) - An already deadly line of powerful storms is spreading over the eastern half of the United States, threatening dangerous winds and tornadoes in the south and potentially paralyzing with snow and ice in the midwest over the weekend, with strong rains and floods in the middle.
At least three people died in Louisiana from Friday night to Saturday morning as a result of severe storms, authorities said.
And hundreds of flights have been canceled or delayed at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport on Saturday, due to winter rainfall and strong winds.
The storms will hit mainly the southeast, the midwest and eventually the northeast from now until early next week.
- LOOK: A triple threat storm could bring tornadoes, snow and flooding to much of the United States this weekend
This is how regions could be affected:
Follow the storms here
Storms and dangerous tornadoes in the south and parts of the Midwest
Throughout the center of the USA and the south, severe storms will march eastward, impacting the entire Mississippi River and the Ohio River valleys.
Several tornadoes have already been reported in Louisiana and more are possible on Saturday throughout the Southeast.
Heavy rains and winds hit parts of the south on Saturday morning, tearing down power lines along the way. According to the PowerOutage.us online project, more than 250,000 homes and businesses had no electricity in six states: Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee and Kentucky, at 9 am ET, according to the PowerOutage.us online project.
The storms have killed at least three people in northwestern Louisiana:
- At Bossier Parish, a severe storm demolished a home and an elderly couple were found dead nearby, authorities said.
- In Oil City, a tree fell on a house, killing a man, said Caddo Parish Sheriff Steve Prator.
Demolished trees and power lines covered some Louisiana roads. Parts of Interstate 20 were closed near Minden on Saturday morning, and state police asked drivers to avoid the area if possible.
A line of strong to severe storms continues to move east across portions of North Central Louisiana this morning. Damaging straight-line winds will be the primary threat. An isolated tornado cannot be completely ruled out. pic.twitter.com/6qRsSHjLBY
- NWS Shreveport (@NWSShreveport) January 11, 2020
Flood warnings and other alerts were in effect in many states, where the long line of storms impacts Saturday.
Strong and harmful winds are expected on Saturday across the south, even long before the storms. Some storms can also produce large hail.
"Everyone should be on high alert, as this type of system is rare in January," said CNN meteorologist Taylor Ward. "A system of this magnitude is more common in the spring, when we typically see outbreaks of dangerous tornadoes."
In the north: snow, ice and strong winds
Winter weather warnings have been issued in areas from Kansas to Michigan, with severe ice and snow forecasts.
Snow, sleet and freezing rain are expected in parts of Oklahoma, eastern Kansas, Missouri, northern Illinois, eastern Iowa, southern Wisconsin and much of Michigan.
In Chicago, strong winds, including gusts of more than 80 kilometers per hour accompanied light snow and rain on Saturday morning. On Saturday, more than 700 flights were canceled to or from Chicago O'Hare International Airport, and more than 100 more were delayed, according to the FlightAware.com tracking website.
Sleet, freezing rain and snow are expected around the city throughout the day.
Parts of Michigan could see with half an inch up to 2.5 inches of ice. Other areas could range from a light glaze to half an inch of ice.
- MORE: Videos showing how a big snowstorm covers Philadelphia
"Ice storms can be extremely dangerous," CNN meteorologist Dave Hennen said. The amount of ice forecast for Michigan could bring down trees and power lines, which could cause widespread power outages.
"The electricity could be turned off for days, with temperatures below zero," he said. “Ice storms can cause deadly travel conditions, worse than even 30 centimeters of snow. Four-wheel drive vehicles and trucks are no match for the type of ice that is forecast. ”
30 centimeters of snow could fall in Des Moines until Sunday, with at least 20.3 centimeters of snow in southern Wisconsin and northern Michigan.
Shawn Nottingham and Gene Norman of CNN contributed to this report.
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