CNN —
Nearly 70 million people are under winter alerts nationwide, with a powerful weather system expected to bring a potent mix of snow, ice and blizzard conditions, accompanied by winds gusting up to 50 mph.
The winter storm, which has already caused snowy and icy conditions in the Central Plains, will create treacherous travel conditions and potential power outages across a vast region stretching from Missouri to the mid-Atlantic.
“For some, this could be the heaviest snowfall in over a decade,” NOAA’s Weather Prediction Center warned.
Major effects, including “considerable disruptions to daily life … dangerous or impossible driving conditions and widespread closures,” are expected from this storm through Sunday in parts of the Central US, according to the Winter Storm Severity Index.
Slick roads have already started to keep law enforcement in parts of Kansas busy, and treacherous conditions will move east, spreading a wintry mess into the Mississippi Valley and parts of the Midwest by Sunday. The storm will then expand into the Ohio Valley and Southeast later Sunday, and to the East Coast on Sunday night and Monday.
The Weather Service upgraded parts of Kansas and Missouri, including parts of the Kansas City metro area to a blizzard warning Saturday afternoon, saying blizzard conditions are expected, with wind gusts up to 50 mph and up to 14 inches of snow, dropping visibility to near zero.
Of the 70 million people, nearly 4 million are under blizzard warnings across much of eastern Kansas and western Missouri.
Some areas could start as snow but change over to an icy mix as warmer air enters the area, while other spots start as rain or an icy mix and gradually change over to snow.
Meanwhile, an ice storm warning remains in effect early Sunday for areas of southern Illinois, western Kentucky, and southeast Missouri. Travel of any kind in those areas is “strongly discouraged,” as the bridges and overpasses are likely to, “become slick and hazardous,” according to the Weather Service.
The greatest risk of dangerous ice will set up just south of the snowiest areas. Significant icing is possible from Kansas and Missouri through the central Appalachians and potentially parts of Maryland and Delaware.
“Significant icing expected. Total snow and sleet accumulations up to two inches and ice accumulations between one quarter and three quarters of an inch,” the Weather Service said. “Persons should delay all travel if possible. If travel is absolutely necessary, drive with extreme caution and be prepared for sudden changes in visibility.”
Ahead of the storm, the governors of Kentucky, Virginia, Arkansas and Missouri declared states of emergency, while Maryland’s governor declared a state of preparedness.
“This winter storm will likely cause significant disruption and dangerous conditions on our roads and could cause significant power outages – just 24 hours before it gets dangerously cold,” Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said, according to a release from his office.
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin advised those with post holiday travel plans to consider leaving on Saturday instead of Sunday, given the projected size of the storm.
“I’m encouraging all Virginians, visitors, and travelers to stay alert, monitor the weather forecast, and prepare now for any potential impacts,” Youngkin said Friday.
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore’s office said in a Saturday news release the state is preparing for the storm, which will “likely affect roads and transportation centers and could cause significant snow accumulation in some parts of the state.”
Ice amounts of 0.25 inches or more are possible, especially in parts of southern Missouri, southern Illinois, southern Indiana and almost all of Kentucky.
Any amount of ice is dangerous; just a thin layer – a light glaze to just over 0.10 inches – can turn paved surfaces into skating rinks, causing people to slip and vehicles to slide out of control.
Power outages could be widespread and long-lasting if significant icing occurs and power restoration crews can’t navigate treacherous roads. The situation could be dangerous or potentially deadly for those without access to heat in the extreme cold to come.
On Saturday, a Kansas Highway Patrol trooper pleaded for people to not go on the roads as crashes had been reported.
“Please please please, stay home. This is not the time to go out and venture and take in the sights and see the scenery,” Trooper Ben Gardner said on X. “This is the time when we stay home.”
Dozens of flights were also delayed or disrupted in Kansas, with the Kansas City International Airport temporarily halting flights on Saturday due to ice, according to the Associated Press.
Those with a Monday commute in places like Washington, DC, and Philadelphia might run into hazardous driving conditions as the storm is predicted to lay down several inches of snow.
The highest snow totals will pile up in the coldest areas, likely in parts of Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and West Virginia. Totals will be lower in areas where warmer air generates sleet and ice instead of snow.
This storm will be capable of unleashing more than a foot of snow and enough ice to knock out power just as the coldest temperatures of the season arrive in its wake. The storm’s forecast has also put several major cities on alert for potentially historic January snowfall totals.
St. Louis has only seen four days when more than a foot of snow fell in a day — a feat which could happen Sunday. Snow totals could range from an inch to more than a foot in parts of Missouri, depending on the storm’s track. This variable forecast extends to neighboring states as well, where some regions may see snowfall approaching record-breaking levels for January.
Kansas City and Indianapolis are among the metropolitan areas bracing for exceptional snow accumulations.
Kansas City could surpass its January record of 7.2 inches set in 2011, while Indianapolis is also in the storm’s crosshairs, with forecasts suggesting the possibility of surpassing its January record of 11.4 inches, set in 2014.
Those in the south can expect rain and some embedded thunderstorms as a result of this massive winter storm. A level 3 of 5 threat of severe thunderstorms is in place Sunday for parts of Louisiana, Arkansas and Mississippi, according to the Storm Prediction Center.
Damaging wind gusts and hail are the most likely threats from any severe thunderstorm but tornadoes are also possible. A tornado outbreak, including multiple rated EF3s, rocked parts of the South in late December.
The massive storm will finally exit the East Coast late Monday and fully diminish in impact overnight. But on Tuesday, temperature drops of as much as 30 degrees below normal for the eastern two-thirds of the US will lock in whatever snow and ice fall from the storm.
CNN’s Kia Fatahi contributed to this report
