US weather: America set to be battered by violent thunderstorms, tornadoes and 'snow squalls' as tropical plume will collide with frozen temperatures

Warmth sweeping from the Gulf of Mexico, however, will battle Arctic air left from the cold snap triggering explosive storms.

‘Drenching rain’ will plough thousands of miles east from southwestern States into New England and the Northeast.

AccuWeather meteorologist Alex Sosnowski said: “A storm will spread snow and drenching rain for thousands of miles from the southwestern United States to the Northeast and bring the potential for the first round of severe weather in weeks to parts of the South.

“There is the potential for several inches of rain to fall and at least raise the risk of flash urban flooding and slick roads from central Texas to western Kentucky.

“The potential for thunderstorms packing significant hail and powerful wind gusts will shift from central Texas on Wednesday to south-eastern Texas on Thursday.”

The US is about to turn milder in parts after the bitter cold dumped heavy snow as far south as Florida.

But the erratic transition will see cold fronts tussle with warmer air masses surging up from the south.

Temperatures will fluctuate from sub-zero to double-digit highs through the coming days and into next week.

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Adding to the misery, a vicious ‘Alberta Clipper’– a powerful storm originating in Canada – will hit the North.

Weather Channel meteorologist Jennifer Gray said: “We have another round of snow pushing through the northeast and New England thanks to an Alberta Clipper, and this is going to bring a quick blast of snow and some much cooler temperatures behind it.

“Temperatures will warm up just briefly before temperatures take another nosedive on Friday and into Saturday.

“Also, rain is expected with another front which will bring the snow to the northeast.”

Weather Channel meteorologist Chris Dolce added: “Another cold front sweeping across the Great Lakes and Northeast will make conditions ripe for snow squalls.”

Temperatures will yo-yo through the week with 70F highs giving way to sub-zero lows, experts warn.

Warm air hitting cold air over the north will fuel storms, triggering powerful winds and heavy rain.

Jim Dale, US meteorologist for British Weather Services and co-author of ‘Surviving Extreme Weather’, said: “To the south, milder air is going to come in from the Gulf of Mexico, and this will rise temperatures.

“Although we are nowhere near the official start of spring, parts of the country will start to feel more spring-like through the end of the month.

“But where different air masses meet, there will be a risk of storms, and some of these could be impactful.”

A spokesman for the US National Weather Service (NOAA) said: “Warm, moist air from the Gulf will stream into the south-Central US ahead of the system and provide support for widespread showers and thunderstorms.

“The weather pattern will favor well above normal temperatures through the end of the work week for much of the Central and Eastern US, except for the Northeast where below normal temperatures are expected through Thursday after a cold front passes through.”