Major snowstorm could deliver white Christmas in much of US

A major snowstorm will head across the central U.S. toward the eastern seaboard next weekend, potentially delivering a white Christmas to many states.

The low-pressure storm is expected to develop by Thursday and coincide with frigid temperatures as the storm make its way across the country.

As a result, states in the southern and northern plains, the midwest and the northeast and southeast regions of the U.S. could all see snowfall this Christmas weekend.

The National Weather Service (NWS) is forecasting “widespread gusty winds,” as well as “bitter cold” and “heavy rain and heavy snow” to impact much of the nation up through Christmas Eve this Saturday.

“Be sure to pay close attention to the forecast this week as details become certain,” the NWS Weather Prediction Center tweeted.

The first stage of the storm could break out on Wednesday in the interior west, with Denver potentially receiving several inches of snow, according to AccuWeather.

Meteorologists are forecasting at least some snow all the way from Nashville, Tenn., to as far south as Dallas, Texas, and even further north toward Chicago, Ill.

AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jon Porter said the storm could become “intense” after feeding on arctic air in the central U.S. and warmer air in the southeast.

“Major East Coast storms over the decades have occurred in this type of setup, bringing the risk for heavy snow and rain, gusty winds, coastal flooding, severe thunderstorms and even tornadoes on the southern side of the storm,” Porter said in a Sunday AccuWeather post.

The northeastern region of the U.S., including near the capital of Washington, D.C., is expected to receive a light wintry mix of rain and snow, but the forecasts could change as the storm develops.