A bomb cyclone that will bring "life-threatening blizzard conditions" to Iowa was beginning to form in the Southwest on Thursday, and is set to move across the Plains before dramatically intensifying over the Midwest.
The big picture: The third in a series of major storms to hit the U.S. in the past 10 days, the bomb cyclone will usher in the coldest air of the winter so far, which will envelop much of the country, from the northern Plains to the Gulf Coast.
Driving the news: After a mild and tranquil start, a parade of storms are bringing cold and snow for millions, and rain and wind for others, all within a matter of days.
One in a fusillade of winter storms is still producing heavy rain, snow and high winds in parts of New England after unleashing severe thunderstorms with embedded tornadoes across the Southeast U.S. Tuesday.
The big picture: At the storm's peak,196 million people were under wind advisories, warnings and watches, including entire states from Florida to Maine, as a powerhouse cold front associated with it pushed east.
Threat level: The frigid conditions are bringing the coldest air of the season and raise concerns about the resilience of the Texas electric grid, which suffered a major failure during a deadly February 2021 cold blast.
A sprawling winter storm is blasting much of the U.S. with heavy snow, rain, tornadoes and powerful winds.
The big picture: The latest in a series of "powerhouse" storm systems to hit the U.S. over the next two weeks has killed at least four people, caused major travel disruptions, widespread power outages, and prompted road closures and water rescues as multiple regions face blizzard conditions, severe thunderstorms and flooding.
