South and Heartland brace for dangerous tornadoes

(NEW YORK) — A cross-country storm that first brought blizzard conditions to the West is now taking aim on the Heartland and the South, where a dangerous severe weather outbreak is expected on Thursday.

Cities in the in the bull’s-eye Thursday afternoon and evening are Dallas, Shreveport, Louisiana and Little Rock, Arkansas. The storms will also move through Memphis Tennessee; Austin, Texas and Houston.

The forecast calls for intense tornadoes, huge hail and powerful winds topping 75 mph.

On Friday, the damaging winds and tornadoes will move into the Southeast and up to the Ohio Valley.

Atlanta; Birmingham, Alabama; Charlotte, North Carolina; Nashville, Tennessee and Lexington, Kentucky, will be in the bull’s-eye.

Very heavy rain — up to 5 inches — is also possible with these severe storms. Flash flooding is a threat from Oklahoma to Ohio.

To the north, that same system could bring the biggest snowstorm of the season to Chicago on Friday. More than 6 inches of snow is possible in the Windy City.

Friday evening, the heavy snow will spread into the Northeast, bringing a wintry mix to the Interstate 95 corridor from New York City to Boston. Heavy snow — possibly topping 1 foot — is forecast for the inland Northeast from upstate New York to Maine.

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