Washington (AP) – Large parts of the USA are preparing for a severe winter storm. Severe weather warnings apply to around 60 million residents in 28 states in the west and north of the country, as US media reported on Wednesday. Heavy snowfalls, rain and strong winds are to be expected, the weather service said. Schools have been closed as a precaution in North and South Dakota, as well as in Minnesota and Wisconsin. The storm system extends over around 4000 kilometers from the west to the east coast.
In California, the cold front has already made itself felt with sharply falling temperatures and stormy winds. On Tuesday, violent gusts knocked down a large tree in front of a tunnel on the Bay Bridge, which connects the cities of San Francisco and Oakland. This caused traffic delays, the police said. At the same time – in stark contrast to this – according to the meteorologists, spring-like temperatures of around 20 degrees are expected in the south of the USA, and in Florida even around 30 degrees.