Winter Storms to Send Snow Across South and West U.S.

People board a bus on 5th Avenue at Central Park as it snows in New York February 13, 2014. A deadly winter storm moved north along the East Coast of the United States on Thursday, bringing heavy snow, sleet and rain across the Washington, D.C., and New York areas, grounding flights and shutting government offices. (REUTERS/Carlo Allegri)

A pair of winter storms will deliver snow across the South from Thursday through Saturday, while another storm is poised to pound California with drenching rain and several feet of snow over the weekend.

Parts of the Ohio Valley and Appalachians saw snow on Thursday from the first storm. Anywhere from 1 to 3 inches was expected in cities such as Louisville, Cincinnati and Nashville by the time the storm winds down overnight.

An overnight dusting was also possible in Washington, D.C., Philadelphia and New York City.

A separate, more potent storm will target the South on Friday and Saturday. A winter storm warning is in effect from central Alabama to eastern North Carolina. This includes metro Atlanta.

In Georgia, a state of emergency will go into effect at noon on Friday ahead of the snowfall, Gov. Nathan Deal announced on Thursday.

For much of the region, this will be the first snowfall of the season, the weather service said. It should also be the biggest winter storm in the Southeast in three years, according to the Weather Channel.

Friday and Friday night, a trace to potentially 4 inches is forecast in northern Alabama and northern Georgia, including Atlanta.

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SOURCE: USA Today, Doyle Rice