More than 100 million people are in the path of a gigantic and dangerous storm system set to barrel through the US this weekend. Meteorologists warn that this ‘mega storm’ will likely bring tornadoes, flash floods, blizzards, and even fires starting Friday and rampaging through Sunday. The storms are expected to stretch as far south as Alabama, Texas , and Louisiana , and as far west as Nebraska, Kansas, and Oklahoma, before driving through the center of the country towards Indiana, Michigan , Minnesota , and Wisconsin .
However, the states in the middle of this massive zone, including, Arkansas , Illinois , Iowa , Kentucky , Mississippi , Missouri, and Tennessee, will need to brace for the worst parts of this destructive storm. According to AccuWeather, these areas will see an extreme risk of severe thunderstorms heading into Friday night. There is also a high chance for golf ball-sized hail which could damage homes and cars. The threat of potentially deadly tornadoes is centered in Arkansas and Missouri, but small parts of Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Mississippi are in this danger zone as well.
Meteorologists warn that more than two dozen tornadoes could hit the center of the country late Friday night into Saturday morning. AccuWeather Senior Director of Forecasting Operations Dan DePodwin said: ‘Please take time now to make sure your storm shelter or safe room is ready for use and stocked with emergency supplies in case a tornado warning is issued in your community.’ To the west of this mega storm, AccuWeather added that there is an extreme risk of fires starting in both Texas and New Mexico due to dry brush, low humidity, and possible dust storms.
Wind gusts could reach up to 80 mph, spreading the risk of fires across five states and into Mexico. The forecast heading into Saturday won’t get much better, with the storm rolling east and delivering more severe thunderstorms in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama , Tennessee , and Florida. Tornado warnings will continue into Saturday night as wind gusts are expected to exceed 65 mph. The damaging winds could also put residents in several major cities at risk, including St. Louis, Chicago, Nashville, New Orleans, and Atlanta.
DePodwin is calling this weekend storm the ‘biggest severe weather outbreak’ of 2025 so far. Long-range forecasters were already predicting between 1,350 and 1,400 tornadoes throughout the US this year, over 100 more than the historical averages. As the storm moves toward the East Coast on Sunday, high winds and more thunderstorms could batter every state from Florida to Massachusetts.
The AccuWeather team noted that ‘relentless rounds of storms and heavy rain’ could bring flash floods to Georgia, the Carolinas, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. With damaging wind gusts still expected to approach 65 mph through Sunday evening, travel delays are likely to disrupt both drivers and flyers. As if tornadoes, fires, and floods weren’t bad enough, the weekend storm may also dump up to a foot of snow in the Rockies and northern Plains.
Starting late Friday and carrying through the day on Saturday, several states will see those severe thunderstorms turn into wintry blast of snow and wind. In the Dakotas and Minnesota, specifically, meteorologists are warning of blizzard conditions this weekend. Between six and 12 inches could fall between Friday and Saturday night and forecasters warn that there could be whiteout conditions in certain areas as the high winds blow all the snow around.
The weekend blizzard may force the partial closures of the I-29 and I-94 corridors, with 16 inches of snow blanketing the region in the worst case scenarios. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has already been warning that Americans should prepare for extreme winter weather starting in mid-March. Experts said a ‘polar vortex collapse’ will likely plunge the US back into the frigid weather much of the country suffered through in February.
This weather phenomenon is expected to bring even more winter weather and extremely cold temperatures later this month and into the spring, possibly leading to widespread travel disruptions for millions. A polar vortex collapse, also called sudden stratospheric warming, is an event that causes cold Arctic air to bleed south – bringing icy conditions to the US, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Europe.
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