A polar vortex is expected to bring snow and ice to 26 states and D.C., threatening travel with blizzard conditions and record-low temperatures.

Several states across the U.S. are under alert as the new storm system approaches. Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Missouri have severe weather alerts in effect through Friday, January 10. Meanwhile, Tennessee, northern Alabama, and parts of Indiana and Kentucky will remain under warnings through Saturday.

Winter storm warnings were in place for 26 states across the U.S. from the National Weather Service (NWS) early Friday, with up to 14 inches of snow forecast for some parts of the country. Snow can cause travel disruptions and create hazardous driving conditions.

Nearly two-dozen states were under winter weather warnings from the National Weather Service as of early Monday.

The pattern had been predicted to form for several months, and weak La Niña conditions were finally officially met this week.

Parts of Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas began to see snowfall on Thursday as Southern states stretching to the Carolinas brace for the storm to reach them on Friday.

Nearly the entire state of Arkansas is under a winter storm warning until Friday night. Little Rock and Hot Springs are expecting around 6 inches of snow, with meteorologists urging people to delay any travel until conditions improve.

A “significant Arctic outbreak” of cold air will cover large swaths of the U.S. starting this weekend, with frigid conditions anticipated to last into mid-January.

The new year is ushering in a major winter storm across a wide swath of the United States, blasting large regions of the country with heavy snow and dangerous ice. 60 million people are under weather

With one storm safely out to sea, attention turns to the next system that's forecast to spread a wintry mess from Texas to the East Coast this week.

A massive winter storm is set to bring snow and ice to much of the South. Here's what to know about snow forecasts in Texas, Georgia, and other states.

Kansas City International Airport, for example, has an 85% chance of snowfall exceeding .1 of an inch, according to data from the weather service. The probability of higher snowfall totals drops rapidly, with only a 50% chance of snowfall exceeding 1 inch. The chance of 2 inches or more of snow is less than 10%.