Heavy snow will spark commuter chaos across the north east and New England this week as it meets deadly freezing rain

The Great Lakes, the interior Northeast, and New England are in for a heavy snowfall by the middle of this week, according to forecasters. 

Starting in California, the spring storm system responsible for the snowy forecast has already caused a downpour in San Diego on Saturday. Nearly 50 million people across the county are bracing for the unseasonal weather.

'We're talking by Wednesday, Thursday, looking at the potential for maybe up to 3 inches of rain for the mid-Atlantic,' said FOX Weather Meteorologist Craig Herrera.

'The big-time snow event could be going on across New England.'

FOX Weather predicts the storm will reorganize on the eastern flank of the Rockies on Monday, bringing warm, humid air with it that feeds the potential for severe thunderstorms and tornadoes over the central United States.

The Great Lakes, the interior Northeast, and New England are in for a heavy snowfall by the middle of this week, according to forecasters

Starting in California , the spring storm system responsible for the snowy forecast has already caused a downpour in San Diego on Saturday

Experts predict the storm will reorganize on the eastern flank of the Rockies on Monday, bringing warm, humid air with it that feeds the potential for severe thunderstorms and tornadoes over the central United States

In Chicago and Detroit, the storm may still be in the warm phase by Wednesday as it makes its way across the Great Lakes and Northeast

In Chicago and Detroit, the storm may still be in the warm phase by Wednesday as it makes its way across the Great Lakes and Northeast.

As cold air moves inward, Michigan and Wisconsin will get wintry. Tuesday night's rain will turn to sleet, which will eventually become freezing rain and snow. 

Rain is expected in Syracuse and Boston ahead of the storm, with higher elevation snowfall expected in Vermont and New Hampshire. 

'The active weather on Tuesday will only be Round 1 as the stationary front begins to fall apart,' Herrera said.

'As we progress into Wednesday, the main low will start to linger around the Great Lakes. It is at this time that the forecast becomes more complicated.

'The evolution of the coastal low remains unclear, but all signs suggest that it will greatly enhance the rain, snow and wind on Wednesday and into Thursday.

'The track and strength of the coastal low will ultimately determine how severe the impacts will be along the I-95 corridor as well as how much snow will fall in New England.' 

On Tuesday, rain is expected to move into much of the Midwest and Northeast. 

As cold air moves inward, Michigan and Wisconsin will get wintry; Tuesday night's rain will turn to sleet, which will eventually become freezing rain and snow

Pictured: Key messages for the anticipated Nor'easter

The Ohio Valley and the Appalachians are under a severe weather warning that might produce tornadoes, hail, and devastating winds.

Snow is predicted to mix in throughout the Midwest and Great Lakes late in the day. Before the snow piles up, Michigan residents are advised to prepare for a highly dangerous period of sleet and freezing rain for their late Tuesday commute.

There is a danger of flash flooding through Wednesday in the Ohio Valley and mid-Atlantic, where some places may receive two to three inches of rain.

The date of the heavy snowfall is still uncertain, according to the FOX Weather Center, which stated that it may begin as early as Tuesday night or wait until Wednesday.

By Wednesday, the coastal storm near the mid-Atlantic is predicted to take shape.

'What does that do?' Herrera said. 'Well, right now it looks like it goes up the coast, and then we could be talking a lot of winds coming in from the northeast, and we could be dealing with some snow across portions of New England and some heavy rain.'

Regarding where and how strong the low will be, computer weather models have not yet determined the specifics, but will be adjusted for accuracy closer to Wednesday.

FOX Forecast Center said a low may develop into a major coastal storm, which could mean more heavy rain, snow, and high winds closer to the Interstate 95 corridor. 

Gusty winds and snow are expected to hit much of the Northeast on Thursday. If the low remains off the New England coast, we could be looking at nor'easter. 

Over the weekend, a powerful Easter storm system delivered flash flood warnings to much of Los Angeles County and heavy rain across the rest of California and into the nation's heartland, impacting some 50million Americans.

Models of the forecast showed that a widespread severe weather event will hit the middle of the county on Monday before making its way east toward Tennessee and Ohio.

The thunderstorms may wind up delivering dangerously strong wind gusts, as well as lightning strikes and tornadoes.

Rain is expected in Syracuse and Boston ahead of the storm, with higher elevation snowfall expected in Vermont and New Hampshire

Snow is predicted to mix in throughout the Midwest and Great Lakes late in the day

The date of the heavy snowfall is still uncertain as it may begin as early as Tuesday night or wait until Wednesday

NOAA's Storm Prediction Center said that on Monday, states like Oklahoma could experience 2-inch wide hailstones

FOX Weather Meteorologist Jane Minar said: 'What starts in the West must eventually come East. All of that energy, as it shifts through the weekend over the Four Corners, gets a second life as it develops over the central US.'

NOAA's Storm Prediction Center said that on Monday, states like Oklahoma could experience 2-inch wide hailstones.

Some of the tornadoes, warns the organization, may take place overnight on Monday. Nocturnal tornadoes are more than twice as likely to result in fatalities.