After rainy California season, NWS warned of risk of storms from Missouri to Illinois, with some potentially producing large hail

Thunderstorms and tornadoes are expected to sweep eastward across the US in the coming days after a rainy season in California.

According to the storm prediction center at the National Weather Service (NWS), severe weather is expected to spread from the southern plains and into the mid-Atlantic and Gulf coast states over the next three days. The warnings applied to about 50 million Americans to kick off what are traditionally the three months that are typically the most active in terms of tornadoes in the US each year.

Winter storm warning remains in effect through Wednesday morning with up to 12in more snow expected in the region

Forecasters are warning that more snow is on the way for northern California mountains after a powerful blizzard that closed highways and ski resorts over the weekend had mostly moved through the Sierra Nevada by early Monday.

The storm began barreling into the region on Thursday. A widespread blizzard warning through Sunday morning covered a 300-mile stretch of the mountains. Fierce winds – with gusts that reached up to 145mph in some areas – ripped down trees and power lines leaving residents in the dark.

Heavy snowfall of up to 10ft in Sierras likely from what forecasters say may be strongest storm of the season

A Pacific storm packing powerful winds and heavy snow is shaping up to be the strongest of the season, forecasters say, as it pushes toward California with potential blizzard conditions in the Sierra and up to 10 feet (3 meters) of snow in the mountains around Lake Tahoe by the weekend.

The National Weather Service in Reno issued a blizzard warning on Wednesday for a 300-mile (482km) stretch of the Sierra from north of Lake Tahoe to south of Yosemite national park effective from early Thursday to Sunday morning.

Nearly 38 million people under flood alerts across state and into Arizona as officials warn dangers still lurk in the waters

• What are the atmospheric rivers hitting California right now?

A deadly, atmospheric-river fuelled storm caused chaos across California on Monday, battering the state with record amounts of rain, destructive mudslides, and violent winds that left at least three people dead from falling trees.

Nearly 38 million people are under flood alerts across the state and into Arizona, including about 10 million people in Los Angeles county. At least three people have died due to the storm, all struck by trees that toppled over in the fierce weather. But officials warned dangers still lurk in the waters that could continue to rise.