A colossal, deadly winter storm barreled toward the East Coast on Wednesday after tearing across the central U.S., unleashing a barrage of dangerous weather disruptions from hurricane-force winds to blizzard conditions.

Powerful storms were threatening communities across the country with weather ranging from fire in the Southern High Plains to blizzards in the Midwest

A mammoth and multifaceted storm – which was dealing wind, fire, choking dust and the threat of a blizzard – pummeled much of the country as it marched east.