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Almost 70 million people across the country are under winter warning A strong weather system expected to bring a strong mix of snow, ice and blizzard conditions, accompanied by wind gusts of up to 50 mph.

The winter storm, which has already brought snow and ice across the Central Plains, will cause dangerous travel conditions and possible power outages across a vast region from Missouri to the Mid-Atlantic.

“For some, this could be the heaviest snowfall in over a decade,” NOAA’s Weather Prediction Center warned.

According to the Winter Storm Severity Index, this storm is expected to cause severe impacts in parts of the central U.S. through Sunday, including “significant disruption to daily life… dangerous or impossible driving conditions and widespread closures.”

Slick roads have already begun to keep law enforcement on their toes in parts of Kansas, and treacherous conditions will move east, spreading wintry chaos across the Mississippi Valley and parts of the Midwest by Sunday. The storm will then expand into the Ohio Valley and Southeast later Sunday and into the East Coast Sunday evening and Monday.

The weather service upgraded parts of Kansas and Missouri, including parts of the Kansas City metropolitan area, to a blizzard warning Saturday afternoon, saying blizzard conditions are expected with wind gusts of up to 50 mph and up to 14 inches of snow, reducing visibility in proximity reduces zero.

Of the 70 million people, nearly 4 million are under blizzard warnings across much of eastern Kansas and western Missouri.

Some areas could initially see snow but then turn into an icy mix as warmer air enters the area, while other places may start to see rain or an icy mix and gradually turn into snow.

Meanwhile, an ice storm warning remains in effect early Sunday for areas of southern Illinois, western Kentucky and southeastern Missouri. Travel of any kind in these areas is “strongly discouraged” as the bridges and overpasses are likely to “become slippery and dangerous,” according to the weather service.

The greatest risk of dangerous ice occurs south of the snowiest areas. Significant glaciation is possible from Kansas and Missouri through the central Appalachians and possibly parts of Maryland and Delaware.

“Significant icing expected. Total snow and sleet accumulations of up to two inches and ice accumulations of one-quarter to three-quarters of an inch,” the weather service said. “Individuals should postpone all travel if possible. If driving is essential, drive with extreme caution and be prepared for sudden changes in visibility.”

Ahead of the storm, the governors of Kentucky, Virginia, Arkansas and Missouri declared states of emergency, while Maryland’s governor declared a state of preparedness.

“This winter storm is likely to cause significant disruption and dangerous conditions on our roadways and could lead to significant power outages – just 24 hours before it becomes dangerously cold,” Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said, according to a statement from his office.

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin advised those planning to travel after the holidays to consider leaving on Saturday instead of Sunday given the expected size of the storm.

“I encourage all Virginia residents, visitors and travelers to remain vigilant, monitor the weather forecast and prepare now for potential impacts,” Youngkin said Friday.

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore’s office said in a news release Saturday that the state was preparing for the storm, which “could likely impact roads and transportation centers and result in significant snow accumulations in some parts of the state.”

Ice amounts of 0.25 inches or more are possible, particularly in portions of southern Missouri, southern Illinois, southern Indiana and most of Kentucky.

Any amount of ice is dangerous; Even a thin layer – a light coat of just over an inch – can turn paved surfaces into ice rinks, causing people to slip and vehicles to spin out of control.

If significant icing occurs and power restoration crews are unable to navigate dangerous roads, widespread and prolonged power outages may occur. For those without access to heat in the coming extreme cold, the situation could be dangerous or even fatal.

On Saturday, a Kansas Highway Patrol trooper urged people not to take to the roads because accidents had been reported.

“Please, please, please, stay home. This is not the time to go out and venture out and enjoy the sights and scenery,” Trooper Ben Gardner said on X. “This is the time to stay home.”

Kansas also experienced delays or disruptions to dozens of flights, with Kansas City International Airport temporarily halting flights on Saturday due to ice, according to the Associated Press.

Those commuting in places like Washington, DC and Philadelphia on Monday could encounter dangerous driving conditions as the storm is expected to dump several inches of snow.

The highest amounts of snow will accumulate in the coldest areas, likely parts of Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and West Virginia. Totals will be lower in areas where warmer air produces sleet and ice instead of snow.

This storm could release more than a foot of snow and enough ice to knock out power, just as the coldest temperatures of the season arrive. The storm’s forecast has also put several major cities on alert for potentially historic snowfall in January.

St. Louis has only experienced four days where more than a foot of snow fell in one day – a feat that could happen on Sunday. Snow totals could range from an inch to more than a foot in parts of Missouri, depending on the path of the storm. This fluctuating forecast also extends to neighboring states, where snowfall in January could reach record levels in some regions.

Kansas City and Indianapolis are among the metropolitan areas prepared for extraordinary snow accumulations.

Kansas City could surpass its January record of 7.2 inches set in 2011, while Indianapolis is also in the storm’s crosshairs, with forecasts suggesting there is a possibility of breaking its January record of 11.4 inches set in 2014 to surpass.

Those to the south can expect rain and a few embedded thunderstorms due to this massive winter storm. According to the Storm Prediction Center, there is a risk of severe, Level 3 out of 5 thunderstorms for parts of Louisiana, Arkansas and Mississippi on Sunday.

Damaging wind gusts and hail are the most likely threats in any severe thunderstorm, but tornadoes are also possible. A tornado outbreak involving multiple EF3 aircraft struck parts of the South in late December.

The massive storm will finally leave the East Coast late Monday and its effects will fully weaken overnight. But on Tuesday, across the eastern two-thirds of the U.S., temperature drops of up to 30 degrees below normal will cause snow and ice falling from the storm to be trapped.

CNN’s Kia Fatahi contributed to this report