The US Is Facing A Massive Winter Storm With Blizzards, Flooding & Tornadoes Expected

The first major winter storm of the season is expected to cause all kinds of trouble this week in the United States, where blizzards, flooding or even tornadoes are in the cards, depending on where you live.

The U.S. National Weather Service (NWS) warns that a "major storm system" is heading for the central and southern part of the country. The "severe weather" could also hit as far north as the Great Lakes and into Canada and stretch as far south as Florida.

In other words, there's a messy line of storms moving through the middle of the country, and chances are you'll face some intense weather on Tuesday or Wednesday as it sweeps through.

Midwest states, including Montana, Nebraska, Wyoming, Colorado and South Dakota, are bracing for blizzards with up two feet (60 centimetres) of snow, while severe hail, winds and potentially strong tornadoes could hit parts of the southern U.S.

The NWS says the system is moving eastward after passing through the west over the weekend.

Warnings have been issued across many states in the storm's path, with some 15 million people under some sort of winter weather advisory, CNN reports.

Another 25 million in the south face severe weather warnings, although those dangers involve wind, rain, hail and tornadoes instead of snow.

"It's a fairly vigorous storm system," Rich Otto, a meteorologist with the Weather Prediction Center, told BBC News. "This one is a little larger than your average winter storm."

A large tornado reportedly touched down in Decatur, Texas, early Tuesday, and many more warnings remained in effect for the area.

Weather experts are also predicting some rough conditions to the north.

“The greatest concern is where they are expecting blizzard conditions,” David Roth of the NWS told the New York Times.

“These are conditions where you can walk out your front door and lose your house; you won’t see it anymore.”

You can check the active weather alerts and warnings for your state here.