Though spring officially began in March, across the country Americans can expect extreme weather to continue into April - with meteorologists forecasting severe thunderstorms and tornadoes this week.
The National Weather Service's Storm Prediction Center issued an enhanced thunderstorm risk warning to residents of the Middle Mississippi Valley and the South and Central Plains states that is expected to remain in effect until Tuesday morning.
More than 50 million Americans could experience severe storms as the system moves across the country.
"The hazards associated with these thunderstorms are frequent lightning, severe thunderstorm wind gusts, hail and a few tornadoes," the NWS said in a statement.
"In addition, there is an increased threat of hail two inches or greater in size over parts of the Central/Southern Plains/Middle Mississippi Valley. Farther east along the boundary, showers and thunderstorms will develop over parts of the Mid-Atlantic on Monday."
The same storm system is expected to travel east on Tuesday, creating similar conditions from the Gulf Coast through the Ohio Valley. Further north, near the Great Lakes, cold air could mix with the storm and dump snow on Michigan, Wisconsin and Illinois, according to CNN.
The unseasonable winter conditions will also likely move north and east, hitting upstate New York and northern New England, on Wednesday. The northeast's major metropolitan areas like New York City and Boston will miss the snow but can still expect heavy rain, according to forecasters.
