Winter storm warnings in effect in multiple states; some could see 12 inches of snow: Weather forecast updates

Winter storm warnings were in effect in more than a half-dozen states early this week, especially in parts of the Northeast, where tens of thousands of people were without

power. "We have two storm systems that will impact the country this week," Alyssa Clements, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, told USA

TODAY. One system organized over the Southwest on Monday before becoming a large-scale winter storm system and ejecting into the southern Plains on Tuesday,

Clements said. Start the day smarter. Get all the news you need in your inbox each morning. The storm is expected to hit portions of the central, southern

and eastern U.S. through midweek with a variety of hazards, including a swath of snow and severe thunderstorms with heavy rainfall. Meanwhile, parts of New

England were being pelted by snow Monday. Here's what to know:  Northeast facing 6-12 inches of snow The

storm system hitting the Northeast is ongoing, Clements said, and will last through Monday night across the Northeast, affecting the New England area from New York into Maine.

Heavy snow and coastal rain are also expected over parts of the Northeast. The region could get anywhere from 6-12 inches of snow by Monday

night, Clements said. Power outages reported in Massachusetts, New Hampshire More than 45,700 homes and businesses were

without power in New Hampshire and Massachusetts early Monday as the first storm rolled through New England.