US travel warning: Monster Christmas snowstorm to smash FOUR states within hours - 'It could get rough!'

The ‘significant’ storm will intensify on Christmas night before moving east and dumping more than a foot of snow in parts.

The NOAA has winter storm warnings in force for blizzards, largely across Nebraska, heavy rain, and flash flooding.

A spokesman said: “A strong storm system will continue to track east across the Rockies, central/northern Plains and the Upper Midwest Christmas Eve into Tuesday.

“Heavy snow, ice, and strong winds are expected. In addition, moderate to heavy rainfall and a few thunderstorms are possible across portions of the southern Plains into the central Gulf Coast through Christmas Day.”

The NOAA described a ‘significant’ storm which while bringing a White Christmas to many, also threatens travel mayhem.

Low pressure will be strengthened by a powerful jet stream crossing the United States as cold and warm air masses collide.

The resulting battle will trigger explosive weather conditions across central regions through the Christmas period before the storm heads east.

The NOAA spokesman added: “The complex interaction among the low pressure system, the upper-level trough, and the cold air mass is forecast to kick the entire system farther east toward the Mississippi Valley.

“A swath of showers and thunderstorms ahead of the cold front will steadily shift eastward through the Deep South, reaching into the Southeast by Christmas Day.

“By Monday night into Tuesday morning, the rain and embedded thunderstorms should slow their progression over the Southeast while spreading farther north .”

Weather Channel meteorologist Orelon Sidney said: “This is going to rack up some decent snow amounts as we go through Christmas.

“The day after Christmas it is still raining from the Great Lakes into Florida, and still snowing across parts of the upper Mississippi Valley and the Northern Plains.

“New York City goes downhill the day after Christmas. Up to a foot of snow could fall in parts of the country by Tuesday, she warned, with Sioux Falls, South Dakota, looking at eight to twelve inches, Omaha, Nebraska, facing eight inches, and Denver, Colorado, an inch.

“Definitely watch out with travel,” she added. “These holiday roadways could get rough.”

Central regions will bear the brunt of the storm through the next 48 hours, before eastern states take cover for rain and snow.

A cold front sweeping the country will also bring torrential downpours, putting parts of the US on alert for flooding.

Jim Dale, US weather correspondent and meteorologist for British Weather Services, said: “There is going to be a fair whack of rain and snow associated with this storm, so we are not talking about small volumes.

“The cold front is going to move into the central zone of the United States over the Christmas period, before it moves towards the east later in the week.”