Winter storm brings blizzard, red flag warnings to millions across U.S. as wildfire risk rises

The last day of winter for 2025 is delivering a blizzard for millions of Americans.

The National Weather Service posted blizzard warnings Wednesday in five states: Colorado, Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa and Minnesota.

“Snowfall rates up to 2 inches per hour will likely combine with wind gusts over 50 mph to produce blizzard conditions. The greatest risk for blizzard conditions will be from northern Kansas through southern Minnesota,” the NWS said in an alert posted to its website.

Blizzard conditions are expected through Thursday “from northern Kansas through the Upper Peninsula of Michigan,” the NWS said.

Some of the affected areas are likely to see snow accumulations of greater than 6 inches, and the NWS warned that “the combination of heavy falling snow and strong winds will create snow-covered roads and near-zero visibility at times. This will make travel dangerous to nearly impossible. Avoid travel if possible, and have a winter survival kit with you if you must travel.”

Blowing dust from deserts and the high plains is also mixing with snow to limit visibility and turn the air brown across a wide area, Accuweather reported. A health alert was issued Wednesday by the Albuquerque-Bernalillo County Air Quality Program in portions of New Mexico due to the significant dust storms being experienced in the state.

Early Wednesday morning, thousands of residents in the center of the country were without power as blizzard conditions kicked in.

“10,000+ power outages statewide on the Eastern Plains due to the ongoing blizzard.” KUSA-TV meteorologist Chris Bianchi wrote in a social media post Wednesday. “I-70 still closed in both directions from Watkins to the Kansas state line.”

Red flag warnings in 12 states

Once again, the high winds that are accompanying the blizzard in the Plains states are dramatically increasing the risk of wildfire across multiple states.

Red flag warnings were posted by the NWS in 12 states on Wednesday: New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, West Virginia, Ohio, Tennessee, Georgia and New York.

“There is a Critical Risk of fire weather over the parts of the Southern High Plains on Wednesday and Thursday,” NWS said, which is being caused by a combination of “strong gusty winds, low relative humidity and dry fuels.

In recent days, wildfires have erupted in several states, including Florida, Missouri and Kansas.

In Oklahoma, the state that has been hardest hit by wildfires over the past week, more than 130 wildfires have broken out, killing four people, injuring more than 200 and damaging at least 400 homes.