Tornadoes rip through Texas and Oklahoma as giant storm brings snow and freezing rain to 17 states

Texas and Oklahoma have been left in a trail of destruction after being battered by tornadoes and powerful winds as a giant coast-to-coast storm causes ‘significant’ damage across the US.

California was buried under 48 inches of snow as blizzard conditions ramped up across central and northern Plains and Upper Midwest – threatening power outages on Thursday.

Millions of Americans could be affected by the storm, with southern states facing flash flooding threats as well as tornadoes – with winter weather warnings issued for 17 states.

Homes in Wayne, Oklahoma and Dallas and Fort Worth in Texas have been destroyed, with tractors being blown over as gusts could hit up to 75mph.

Alerts for enhanced risk of severe weather, 3 of 5, have been issued today for eastern Texas and the lower Mississippi river.

A tornado in Wayne left buildings ‘wiped off their foundations, ’ leaving the town has no power and dozens of homes and buildings destroyed or damaged

Several feet of snow has continued to pile up in California's Sierra with blizzards in the Northern Plains

Fresh snow is shown on a fire danger sign near the side of a mountain highway near Taylor, California

A tornado in Wayne left buildings ‘wiped off their foundations, ’ leaving the town has no power and dozens of homes and buildings destroyed or damaged.

Five people have been injured as a result of the tornado in Grapevine in Texas, and have been rushed to hospital.

Grapevine Police Department confirmed that they were rushed to hospital and are awaiting updates on their condition.

Snow and freezing rain, along with winter storm alerts, are in effect for over 15 million people living in more than a dozen US states.

The storm is expected to strengthen as it pushes eastwards on Tuesday before stalling across the central Plains into Thursday – causing travel chaos.

Avalanche warnings were in place across northern California, with the Sierra Nevada Mountain rage reporting 5ft of snow – with highways being forced to close.

The National Weather Service has also issued blizzard warnings for North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Montana, Wyoming and Colorado.

Flooding from rain and snow has created icy conditions in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, in the country battering storm

Five people have been injured as a result of the tornado in Grapevine in Texas, and have been rushed to hospital. Grapevine Police Department confirmed that they were rushed to hospital and are awaiting updates on their condition

The Dakotas and southeastern Montana will likely receive at least a foot of snow

The National Weather Service has also issued blizzard warnings for North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Montana, Wyoming and Colorado

Snowfall is expected to his between 10 and 18 inches, but those inside of the blizzard warning zones could get as much as 24 inches of snow and winds that could cause power outages.

All of those states are expected to see gusty winds over 40mph (64km/h) and heavy snowfall – with the storm expected to spill into Canada.

In Denver, up to 5 inches of snow is expected and 50 mph wind gusts are possible, with harsh life-threatening conditions expected.

The Storm Prediction Center forecasts a risk of tornadoes, large hail and damaging straight-line winds from eastern Texas into northern Louisiana and southwestern Mississippi.

Meteorologists are warning that blizzard conditions will ‘ramp up’ overnight in the upper Midwest, and residents should brace for ‘a long drawn-out period of snowfall.’

Brandon Wills, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Cheyenne, Wyoming, said: ‘We're not expecting a quick burst of snowfall here.

‘Snow is going to accumulate the highest in the northern Nebraska panhandle -- and it's going to be blowing around like crazy because of the strong winds that we're going to have as well.’

Icicles hang from a roof as rain from a winter storm creates icy conditions on Tuesday as tornadoes hit parts of Oklahoma and Texas 

The Storm Prediction Center forecasts a risk of tornadoes, large hail and damaging straight-line winds from eastern Texas into northern Louisiana and southwestern Mississippi

Maintenance workers are pictured hard at work clearing snow from lanes in the middle of the night

UC Berkeley Central Sierra Snow Lab recorded 43.5 inches of snow falling in just 48 hours

South Dakota Department of Transportation warned interstates could become impassable amid the blizzard conditions, resulting in roadway closures across the state.

In Anchorage, Alaska, an ‘unprecedented amount of snowfall’ has led to schools being closed for four days and shut down the University of Alaska Anchorage and Alaska Pacific University on Monday.

On Wednesday the weather warnings are expected to hit New Orleans, Baton Rough and Mobile, Alabama – being battered by strong tornadoes, damaging winds and hail.

An additional 2-4 inches of rain could fall across parts of Louisiana, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, and North Carolina.

Dozens of flights out of Boston's Logan airport canceled and airline passengers forced to sleep in cots in the terminals because all hotels in the area are booked.

Over the weekend the Heavenly ski resort at Lake Tahoe shut down some operations when the brunt of the storm hit on Saturday.

Storm total snowfall amounts for northeast California, the Greater Lake Tahoe Region, western Nevada and the Eastern Sierra Nevada

UC Berkeley Central Sierra Snow Lab posted some pictures depicting massive amounts of snow fall on the roofs of some of their buildings

The resort posted video of lift chairs swaying violently because of gusts that topped 100 mph, along with a reminder tweeting that wind closures are 'always for your safety.'

To the south, Mammoth Mountain reported that more than 20 inches of snow fell Saturday, with another 2 feet possible as the tail end of the system moved through the eastern Sierra.

The UC Berkeley Central Sierra Snow Lab in Soda Springs, California reported Sunday morning that more than 43 inches had fallen in a 48-hour span.

A 70-mile stretch of eastbound U.S. Interstate 80 was closed Saturday 'due to zero visibility' from the northern California town of Colfax to the Nevada state line, transportation officials said. Snow chains were required on much of the rest of I-80 and other routes in the mountains from Reno toward Sacramento.

Many other key roads were closed because of heavy snow, including a stretch of California Highway 89 between Tahoe City and South Lake Tahoe, the highway patrol said.

Snow was piled high at the sides of the road of Interstate 80 from California to Nevada

The U.S. Forest Service issued an avalanche warning for the backcountry in the mountains west of Lake Tahoe where it said 'several feet of new snow and strong winds will result in dangerous avalanche conditions.'

Gusts up to 50 mph sent trees into homes in Sonoma County north of San Francisco on Saturday with predictions of violent gusts of 100 mph over Sierra ridgetops, the National Weather Service said.

Heavy rain was forecast from San Francisco to the Sierra crest with up to two inches in the Bay Area and up to five inches at Grass Valley northeast of Sacramento.

Warnings and watches were also up across Southern California, as heavy rain caused localized flooding in greater Los Angeles.

Forecasters in Arizona issued a winter storm watch for northern and central Arizona beginning on Sunday evening for areas above 5000 feet including Flagstaff, Prescott and the Grand Canyon, where icy temperatures and up to a foot of snow was predicted.

Prepare for Snowmageddon! Winter storm is expected to hit the Northeast Monday with forecasters warning upstate New Yorkers to brace for between six and TEN inches of the white stuff 

Some states in the Northeast are expected to see their first snowfall of the season with some areas getting a snow blanket of up to 10 inches through Monday.

Northeastern Pennsylvania, upstate New York, northwest Connecticut, northwest New Jersey, New England, and western Massachusetts have all received Winter Weather Advisories as residents can expect large amounts of snowfall.

While the snow might stick more in the suburban areas of the states, northern New York City might also see a sheet of snow as well as the mid-Hudson Valley.

Up to 10 inches of snow might also be seen at high elevations, but the Catskills of New York and the western Massachusetts Berkshires can see up to six inches.

Snow is expected to hit the Northeast with higher elevations anticipating up to 10 inche