Dozens of states on alert for wind, snow as 2 storms sweep across US

Two storm systems moving across the U.S. have placed 26 states, from California to Kentucky, under snow and wind alerts.

Winter storm watches and advisories are in effect for parts of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Kansas, Montana, Idaho and Wyoming.

Additionally, winter storm watches are also in effect for the central Rockies and into the Plains with heavy snow this week.

According to meteorologists, this week's snow will reach more than a foot in parts of the Southwest and Northwest, including parts of Colorado, Oregon and Washington.

The first storm is expected to bring heavy rain from Dallas to Wichita on Tuesday morning, while there is also snow expected across the Pacific Northwest and Northern and Central Rockies.

By Tuesday evening, the storm will likely move into the upper Midwest to areas including St. Louis, Chicago and Minneapolis–Saint Paul, bringing with it rain and snow.

The second storm will likely move east on Wednesday and Thursday, delivering a threat for a severe weather outbreak across parts of the South to the Ohio Valley.

Millions of people from the Florida Panhandle to the Ohio Valley could see scattered severe weather on Thursday.

Americans living in Boston, New York City, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., will get a preview of spring as temperatures are expected to reach the mid-60s.