Major storm developing in the West with heavy snow, flooding rain

Two storms are moving across the country on Thursday bringing with it mudslide threats, flooding rain, heavy snow and damaging thunderstorms.

The first storm brought up to a foot of snow to the Dakotas and Minnesota as well as damaging winds, hail and tornado warnings that were sparked by this storm from Kansas to Minnesota.

The second storm hit California hard on Wednesday with 1 to 2 inches of rain that caused a mudslide in southern California and prompted mandatory evacuations in Silverado Canyon.

Hail and funnel clouds were also reported in California along with 15 inches of snow in the mountains.

The trailing cold front from the first storm will continue to spark strong storms and heavy rain in the Plains today and Friday.

Meanwhile, the second storm will move east through the Rockies over the next couple of days bringing very heavy snow to the Rockies.

By the weekend, that second storm will strengthen as it moves into the Central U.S. with severe thunderstorms and flooding rain from Texas to Kentucky.

On the back side of the storm, strong winds and heavy snow is expected in Denver and this could be the biggest snow storm in that city not only for this winter, but possibly in years.

Up to 3 feet of snow is possible this weekend in Colorado and up to a half a foot of rain could fall in parts of Missouri.

Elsewhere, the East Coast is expected to have its warmest day so far this year with temperatures in the 70s expected as far north as New Jersey and New York state. Record highs are also expected to fall today from Virginia to New Hampshire.