Insider Blog: Much of the United States is bracing for impacts from a large winter storm

A large winter storm is impacting just about every state east of the Rocky Mountains. The map below highlights active watches, warnings and advisories for the nation. The bright red in the plains represents a blizzard warning, the yellow hugging the Gulf Coast represents a tornado watch, and the tan color from Texas to Massachusetts is a wind advisory. This is just some of the active weather happening across the country.

Here, we can get a good look at the system. Remember that air around a low pressure system blows counterclockwise. Cold air from the north is pushing the cold front toward the east. However, moisture from the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean is surging northward. The cold air wedges itself under the warm, moist air leading to widespread rain and storms.

However, this moisture will also make it more north and into the midwest. This moisture will move over top of a mass of very cold air. This means much of the midwest and plains will see several inches of snow. As well, much of this moisture will move northeast, setting up a flooding threat for much of the East Coast and the Appalachians.