By Julianne McShane and Kathryn Prociv —
NBC News
Millions of people in the South and Southeast United States are under severe thunderstorm, tornado and flash flood warnings starting Tuesday, as another powerful winter storm looms over the Midwest, and one more looms in California later this year. this week.
Severe storms and flash floods
Some 20 million people, from southeastern Louisiana to south-central Alabama, are at risk of severe storms Tuesday that could bring damaging wind gusts, large hail and some strong tornadoes, with winds of more than 111mph.
People cross a rain-slicked street in downtown Kansas City, Missouri, as a thunderstorm passed through the area, late Monday, Jan. 2, 2023.Charlie Riedel / AP
The storms are expected to continue through the day and last into the night.
The cities of New Orleans (Louisiana), Montgomery (Alabama) and Gulfport (Mississippi) are in the highest risk area.
In addition to severe storms, flash flooding will also be a threat.
As of Tuesday morning, 24 million people were under a flood watch in parts of the Southeast, Tennessee and Mississippi River valleys, expected to receive 2 to 4 inches of rain.
The greatest risk of flash flooding is in south-central Alabama, including Montgomery.
In northern Alabama, schools were closed, and in central Alabama shelters were opened in preparation for severe weather, NBC News affiliates WAFF of Huntsville and WSFA of Montgomery reported.
At least 4 million people in northern Louisiana to central Kentucky were under a tornado watch as of 11:00 a.m. local time Tuesday as storms raged.
2-3 inches of rain could fall per hour and increase the risk of flash flooding.
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In Louisville, Kentucky, some roads were blocked by flash flooding and rescue crews were carrying out rescues Tuesday morning, Louisville's NBC affiliate WAVE reported.
As forecast for Wednesday, 5 million people are at risk from severe storms that could sweep across portions of Georgia and northern Florida — including the cities of Macon and Tallahassee.
The system could also bring damaging winds, hail and tornadoes, though the threat is not expected to be as high as Tuesday.
Heavy snow and freezing rain
Some 11 million people are under a winter storm watch that will bring abundant snow and freezing rain from northeastern Colorado to Michigan's Upper Peninsula.
3 to 9 inches of snow (and isolated areas could receive up to a foot) are expected from northeast Nebraska to northwest Wisconsin through at least Thursday.
Minneapolis will be impacted by freezing rain and abundant snow, with a chance of precipitation.
The heaviest snow will be Tuesday until 3:00 pm local time, when 1-2 inches per hour is expected
at certain times.
The snowfall will let up by noon, before another torrential white shower on Tuesday night.
As of Tuesday morning, 5 to 9 inches of snow is expected in the greater Minneapolis area.
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Road conditions began to deteriorate throughout southwestern Minnesota Tuesday morning, and the Minnesota Department of Transportation asked to avoid driving in Rock and Nobles counties due to reduced visibility, heavy snow and high winds, it reported. NBC affiliate KARE of Minneapolis, adding that more complications are expected for travelers across the state on Tuesday and Wednesday.
And what about California?
One of the states expected to be rain-free on Tuesday is California, which saw record-breaking rainfall this holiday weekend, increasing as climate change increases the chances of extreme precipitation.
Oakland over the weekend recorded its wettest day since 1970, with nearly 5 inches of rain, and downtown San Francisco received nearly 5.5 inches of rain on December 31, making it the second-wettest day in the most of 170 years of records at that location.
But the break will not last long.
Another strong storm system is expected to move toward the West Coast between Wednesday and Friday
, and is expected to reach bomb cyclone status when it hits the California coast early Wednesday morning.
That storm will put 12 million people in north-central California under a flood watch Wednesday and Thursday.
It could rain 2 to 4 inches in the valleys, 5 to 10 inches in the foothills, and 7 inches in the mountains below 6,000 feet.
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The Bay Area, Sacramento and Los Angeles are the most populated areas where flooding is expected to hit, but flooding can also affect much of the state on Wednesday and Thursday.
The National Weather Service warned that Wednesday's storm will be "truly a brutal system that needs to be taken seriously" and will lead to "potential loss of life."
Extreme heat
Numerous temperature records are likely to be set in the Midwest and Ohio Valley on Tuesday.
St. Louis could hit 70 degrees Tuesday before highs drop to the 30s and 40s the rest of the week.
In addition to these areas, the heat will also spread to the South and East.
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Temperatures will rise between 15 and 25 degrees above average, with highs of 50 to 60 degrees in the northern areas and 70 to 80 degrees in the southeast and mid-Atlantic.
Atlanta and Washington, DC, will see highs in the 60s and 70s on Tuesday and Wednesday, while New York will see highs in the 60s.
Cooler temperatures will hit the Midwest on Wednesday and the Northeast on Friday, but they will still be well above average for this time of year.
