Blizzard Warnings: These Are the Cities Most at Risk

Some 200 million Americans are bracing for brutally cold temperatures and blizzards this week, as "a major and anomalous" winter storm is expected to hit the central and eastern regions of the country, according to the National Weather Service (NWS), bringing heavy rain, snow and strong winds.

The NWS has warned that the "powerful winter storm," which will hit the country between December 22 and 24 will "produce widespread disruptive and potentially crippling impacts across the central and eastern United States."

"Record-breaking cold and life-threatening wind chills" will be reported across the Great Plains on Thursday December 22, according to the NWS, and will then push towards the upper Midwest on Friday December 23. By Friday evening, the storm will hit the Pacific Northwest and throughout the weekend is expected to spread to California.

The government agency also warned against "significant freezing rain possible" across parts of western Oregon and Washington starting from Thursday night.

Local branches of the NWS across the country have issued several alerts, including wind chill warnings, watches and advisories throughout over 30 states from Washington to Florida.

Among the major cities at risk of suffering dangerously cold temperatures and other hazardous weather conditions are the likes of Kansas City and St. Louis, Missouri, Des Moines, Iowa, Chicago, Illinois, Milwaukee and Madison, Wisconsin, Buffalo, New York, Indianapolis, Indiana, and Detroit, Michigan, which are expected to be whipped by rain and snow on Thursday and the coming days.

NWS Chicago warned on Twitter that the "worst conditions" will be felt from Thursday evening to Friday evening. "A strong winter storm will impact the region Thu. into Sat., with potential blizzard conditions Thu. eve into Fri. eve. If possible, those traveling should begin to consider alternate travel plans. Bitterly cold air & strong winds will bring dangerously cold conditions Fri.-Sun," the agency wrote.

The Illinois city is expecting temperatures to drop 15 to 20 F on Thursday, while temperatures will drop even further—to -30 F—on Friday. NWS Chicago is "not expecting a lot of snow" but has warned that "the combination [of] falling snow, gusty winds, and plummeting temperatures will make travel conditions treacherous from Thursday afternoon onward."

Freezing drizzle has transitioned into snow in Kansas City, Missouri, according to the local NWS branch, where several roads have been reported to be iced, slick and dangerous because of the cold temperatures.

In Des Moines, Iowa, Wednesday's snow has left place to stronger wind gusts which threaten to bring about blizzard conditions on Friday, while travel conditions in the city remains poor, according to the NWS.

The metropolitan area of Buffalo, New York, was put under a blizzard warning on Thursday which covers the entire Niagara Frontier. NWS Buffalo tweeted that the area will be hit by snow, strong wind, and -10 to -25 F wind chills on Friday, adding that travel will be "difficult to impossible" on Friday and throughout the Christmas weekend.

Detroit, Michigan, is currently under a major winter storm warning that will stay in place until Saturday morning. NWS Detroit has warned that the combination of snow, dropping temperatures and gusty winds will make travel "difficult to impossible" and might cause "scattered power outages."

The NWS has issued a severe weather alert throughout Northern Michigan, where snow is expecting to pile up to levels between 12 and 24 inches between Friday and Saturday and winds gusting will be as high as 35 mph.