Storm That Will Affect Vermont Is Dangerous For Much Of Nation: Tornadoes, Winds, Snow, Flooding

The home page of the National Weather Service is quite
colorful today. That's a bad sign, meaning there's
quite a bit of hazardous weather going on with a 
strong storm system. 

The same storm that is expected to give Vermont its next decent installment of snow tomorrow night is causing headaches - and dangers - for large swaths of the United States.

The storm center was organizing in southern Texas this morning.  The storm's warm front will move inland soon from the Gulf of Mexico.  

Warm, humid, air, high speed winds aloft that change direction with height have put the Gulf Coast from south of Houston all the way to the Florida panhandle in danger of tornadoes. 

This tornado risk includes cities like Houston, Mobile and New Orleans.  New Orleans had two destructive tornadoes last year, so it doesn't need another one. As of this writing, around noon eastern standard time Tuesday, the drama was just about to get underway somewhere in or near the Houston metro area. 

As of 11 a.m. eastern time, the National Weather Service was about to use a tornado watch for the Texas coast and on into southwestern Louisiana. Forecasters warned of a risk of a strong tornado or two. If one of those went through the densely populated Houston area, that would be especially dangerous. 

Already, at noon, one thunderstorm southwest of Houston was already carrying a tornado warning, as radar was detecting rotation,

The dangerous weather, complete with tornadoes, strong straight line winds, hail and torrential rains was forecast to spread eastward along the Gulf Coast today and tonight. 

This month has been unusual for tornadoes. A typical January will produce about three dozen U.S. tornadoes. As of yesterday, we've had 138 tornado reports. That number will almost surely increase today and tomorrow. 

Even away from the severe thunderstorms, gusty winds could cause damage throughout most of the Gulf Coast states today. 

Flooding is also a concern today in eastern Texas and much of Louisiana. 

North of the storm track, winter storm warnings advisories and watches extended from New Mexico to Maine, and on into parts of southeastern Canada. 

This storm is part of a series that is in part signaling a change in the nation's weather pattern. It has been a warm January almost coast to coast. But those days are over for some areas, at least. A long spell of daily subzero readings is set to begin in the northern Plains Friday.