2 minutes ago! South Dakota and Minnesota are closing all schools! The historic snowstorm has begun!

A severe winter storm approaches to wreak havoc across much of the country as the south braces for record February heatwaves. Areas from South Dakota east through southern Minnesota, northern Wisconsin and parts of Michigan are likely to see more than eight inches of snow. Blizzard warnings in effect for Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Dakota, and Minnesota A winter storm warning has been issued in Minneapolis, where the city is preparing for a potentially historic blizzard. A severe winter storm that swept across the US west into the Northern Plains and Midwest on Tuesday could cause blizzards, bitter cold and record-breaking snowfall to make road transport dangerous and disrupt air travel. The National Weather Service has issued winter storm, blizzard and strong wind warnings for a wide swath of the western and north-central United States. From Tuesday through Thursday, up to two feet (61 cm) of snow and winds up to 60 miles (97 km) per hour were expected in some places. Two-inch-per-hour snow and gusty winds will make driving conditions treacherous and possibly impossible in parts of the Northern Plains and Upper Midwest, the service said in a forecast. Snow plow crews will be on duty across the state, but this storm could be crazy,“ the Minnesota Department of Transportation said in a statement. While most of the United States will struggle with cold and snowy weather over the next few days, parts of the south, on the other hand, could experience record high temperatures this week. A prolonged storm could also cover all of California with snow. Nearly all of the state’s 39 million residents will either witness snow fall or be able to see nearby mountain peaks covered in snow this week, according to UCLA climate scientist Daniel Swain.