Blizzards, wildfires and thunderstorms are expected across the nation on Wednesday

NPR | By Ayana Archie

Published March 4, 2025 at 7:52 PM CST

Firefighters attend to a flare-up in the Carolina Forest neighborhood on Sunday in Myrtle Beach, S.C. Multiple forest fires in the area caused evacuations along the South Carolina coast. A storm is expected to bring extreme weather and wildfire risk to various regions across the U.S. this week.

A widespread storm is moving through the U.S., bringing extreme conditions to various regions, including blizzards, wildfires and tornadoes.

The National Weather Service (NWS) has warned that parts of Texas, Kansas, Colorado, Oklahoma and New Mexico are at risk of wildfires due to warm and dry conditions.

Conversely, in areas that are warm and moist, there is a risk of severe thunderstorms, hail, tornadoes and heavy rainfall through Wednesday. This includes regions stretching from Louisiana and Arkansas to the Carolinas and further south, including Georgia and Florida.

Severe weather is expected across the U.S. Wednesday.

In the western U.S., the weather service expects significant rainfall and one to two feet of snow at high elevations, such as the Sierra and Rocky Mountain ranges.

Blizzard warnings have been issued in Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, and Minnesota through Wednesday. The NWS predicts six to 12 inches of snow from Iowa to upper Michigan.

In the Midwest, temperatures are expected to be higher than usual, and these warm conditions are forecasted to move further east on Wednesday.