Death toll rises to 11 as millions brave severe weather threat

Severe weather is making its way throughout much of the country, killing at least 11 people and putting millions more at risk.

The main threats hitting central and southern parts of the U.S. are damaging winds, large hail, snow, flooding and a few tornadoes in Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Missouri.

Fatalities, including two first responders, have been reported in Alabama, Louisiana, and Texas, according to The Associated Press.

The National Weather Service in Birmingham, Alabama, confirmed that three deaths occurred in Pickens County, according to its Twitter page.

An elderly couple was found dead in the town of Haughton, Louisiana, and another person was killed after a pine tree fell onto a home in the town of Oil City, Louisiana, the local sheriff offices said in separate statements.

In Nacogdoches County, Texas, a 44-year-old man was killed after a tree fell across a home, according to authorities. The man was identified as Larry Hadnot, Jr. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Another person died in Dallas when their car flipped into a creek west of downtown Dallas, according to police.

In Bexar County, Texas, four tornadoes have already been reported. Golf ball-sized hail and wind gusts of 77 mph also hit the region.

Strong storms and heavy rains will make their way east throughout the day, impacting states from Texas to Maine.

Ice and sleet will be a threat for some areas of the Great Lakes -- namely Michigan, where a significant icing event is expected.

Up to 12 inches of snow is expected in parts of the Great Lakes region.

Yet out in the eastern part of the U.S., states are experiencing near-record temperatures in the 60s and 70s.

Temperatures in New York City and Boston will hit highs in the low 60s, while Philadelphia will see temperatures reach 67 and Washington D.C. will reach 70 on Saturday.

The storms moving across the country will push those temperatures out on Sunday night and colder air will be back starting Monday.

A storm system will impact the Pacific Northwest Saturday morning and bring high winds and rain along the coast, extremely dangerous surf and waves of up to 30 feet high as well as heavy mountain snow.

By Monday, the region will be hit with a second storm that will bring more rain, wind and snow.

ABC News' Jason Volack, Ahmad Hemingway and Matthew Fuhrman contributed to this report.