The northeastern U.S. is bracing for a storm that has already killed five people and left hundreds of thousands without power.
"It is projected to be a very serious storm that requires our full attention," New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg said Saturday. A flood watch has been issued for his city, the largest in the United States.
The severe system has left more than a metre of snow in some parts of the U.S. Midwest. Southern states were hit with thunderstorms, tornados and hail the size of golf balls.
The storm also wreaked havoc on property throughout its path, ripping roofs from homes, destroying porches and tipping at least a dozen tractor trailers.
The system is forecasted to strengthen as it heads to the east coast of the U.S. on Sunday, bringing high winds and torrential rains with it. The combination of rain and high winds could produce strong tidal surges along the coast.
The New York National Guard alerted units that might be needed for emergency work.
At least 250 snow plow trucks have been are on standby in New Jersey. The northwest corner of the state is expecting snow, while the rest of the state is bracing for possible flooding.
The speed and ferocious nature of the storm left thousands scrambling to find shelter in the southern states and Midwest and has been linked to some deaths.
One man was killed by a pile of lumber that fell on him from his truck during the storm, and a police officer in died when his patrol car slid on wet pavement and struck a utility pole, authorities said.
Three people died in Kansas in traffic accidents on highways covered with ice and slush
After Sunday, the storm is expected to travel to Atlantic Canada and Quebec.
Montreal could be blanketed with as much as 50 centimetres of snow while the Maritimes are expecting spring showers.
Other extreme weather
The severe spring storm is one of many instances around the globe of hazardous weather.
- Residents along Manitoba's Red River shared a collective sigh of relief as forecasters said the danger of flooding from massive ice jams has subsided. More than 100 residents of Selkirk had to be evacuated earlier after water levels began to rise in the first week of April.
- Rescuers in southern Thailand say the death toll from flash floods in the country continues to climb. Waters surged over waterfalls and a swimming area that was popular among locals and tourists. Twenty-one people were reported killed and dozens are still missing.
- Parts of Europe have been experiencing an April heat wave. Temperatures in England reached 25C this weekend, which is 10 degrees higher than the seasonal average.
With a report from CTV's David Akin and files from the Associated Press
