USA – 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.

Of the 70 million people under winter alerts, nearly 4 million are under blizzard warnings across much of eastern Kansas and western Missouri, with a dangerous combination of snow, ice and freezing rain ongoing across Kansas, Missouri, southern Illinois and Indiana and western Kentucky. In addition, thundersnow and thundersleet are being observed. Throughout the day, the storm will spread east into the Ohio River Valley, then reach the Mid-Atlantic late Sunday night into much of Monday. (CNN)