According to most forecasters and the National Weather Service, a significant weather event begins tonight and will likely bring extreme snow and ice to much of the U.S. mainland.

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE -…Major winter storm to begin impacting the Central and Southern Plains today, before moving into the Mid-South, Mid-Atlantic, and Northeast this weekend… ♦Catastrophic ice accumulations are expected from the Southern Plains to the Southeast/Mid-Atlantic… ♦Dangerously cold temperatures set to expand across much of the eastern two-thirds of the U.S. through early next week.

[Interactive Map – NWS]

A significant winter storm is forecast to begin in the Southern Rockies and Central/Southern Plains today, progressing eastward through the Mid-South and into the Mid-Atlantic and the Northeast through Monday. This is expected to produce large swaths of heavy snow, sleet, and freezing rain, bringing hazardous driving conditions, power outages, and tree damage. The heaviest snowfall is expected across a large area, including parts of the Southern Rockies, Plains, and through the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast. Snowfall totals are expected to exceed one foot in parts of these areas, and widespread travel disruptions are likely.

South of the snow axis, widespread freezing rain and sleet are expected, affecting the Southern Plains, Lower Mississippi Valley, Tennessee Valley, and much of the Mid-Atlantic. Catastrophic impacts are expected where freezing rain totals exceed half an inch, with over an inch expected in parts of Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi, and the Southern Appalachians.

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With approximately 120 killed in the devastating floods, President Trump and First Lady Melania travel to Texas today to visit with those impacted.  The President and First Lady departed Joint Base Andrews earlier and RSBN will be covering the day’s events.

Together the first couple will survey damage, meet with the families of victims, and President Trump is expected to join local and state officials for a roundtable about current recovery efforts.

Video of the departure is below and RSBN ongoing livestream coverage is below the fold.

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A painful update from Kerr County officials in Texas.  The death toll has risen to 27, with 18 adults and 9 children killed. UPDATE: 32 killed. 18 adults and 14 children.

The region was beset by death and disaster on Friday after months’ worth of heavy rain fell in a matter of hours, leaving search teams to conduct boat and helicopter rescues in the fast-moving water that overtook riverfront communities and children’s summer camps.

The US National Weather Service declared a flash flood emergency for parts of Kerr county, located in south-central Texas Hill Country, following the heavy downpours.  Officials in Kerrville, Texas deliver an update press conference.

UPDATE 3:00pm CT – Officials in Texas called the severe flooding a “mass casualty event” and said between 23 and 25 people were still missing from a summer camp. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and other authorities provided an update.

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There are several summer camps currently with active search and rescue teams working through multiple areas in/around Kerr County, Texas.   The area around the Guadalupe River is directly impacted.

Devastating flooding from torrential rain has hit the area hard.  Officials from around the region are sending in assistance and resources to assist the local rescue teams.  The rescue work is ongoing using multiple assets.

(Via ABC) – Thirteen people have died after heavy rain pounded Kerr County, Texas, early Friday, leading to “catastrophic” flooding, the sheriff said.

Children are among the dead, said Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who has taken on the duties of acting governor.

There are several major camps in the area, and at one of them, Camp Mystic, about 23 of its 750 campers are unaccounted for, according to Patrick.

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The death toll continues to climb in Kentucky and Missouri as recovery efforts continue from a devasting night of tornados in the region.

LONDON, Ky. (AP) — Death toll from severe storms and tornadoes rises to at least 27, including 18 in Kentucky.

KENTUCKY/MISSOURI – […] Some of the hardest hit towns by large tornadoes Friday night in Kentucky were the Somerset area and London, where local officials reported nine people died amid significant damage.

The Laurel County Sheriff’s Office says the tornado touched down in London just before midnight and tore through two neighborhoods and the London Corbin Airport area, “causing mass casualties in its path.” Aside from the nine dead, officials reported “numerous severe injuries occurred to others.”

Video from London shows extensive damage with multiple homes destroyed and vehicles barely recognizable as debris littered the neighborhood and lightning still flashed in the background.

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Hollywood actor James Woods is one of a small group of honorable, decent, God-filled men of film and art.  Woods is also well known on social media for his snarky push back against the evil elements in the world of politics.

James Woods was at the epicenter of the Pacific Palisades fire when it began.  He evacuated with his wife, but it appears they have lost their home and all their belongings.  Friend of the Treehouse Peter Duke has posted some incredible images of the aftermath [SEE HERE]

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(Reuters) – […] Five separate fires burned in Los Angeles County, all of them 0% contained according to state officials, including a pair of conflagrations that held the city in a pincer move.

On the west side, the Palisades Fire consumed 15,832 acres (6,406 hectares) and 1,000 structures in the hills between Santa Monica and Malibu, racing down Topanga Canyon until reaching the natural fire break of the Pacific Ocean on Tuesday. It was already one of the most destructive fires in Los Angeles history.

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A massive California wildfire is consuming some of the most valuable property around Los Angeles.  The Pacific Palisades fire is expanding rapidly due to high winds and dry conditions.  Making matters worse, firefighters are having a problem with water shortages to fight the fire due to California environmental standards.

An ariel shot shows the extent of the fire last night, and the situation is rapidly worsening.  Firefighters are now focused on rescue efforts.

CALIFORNIA – A state of emergency has been declared in Los Angeles after a huge wildfire swept through hillsides dotted with celebrity homes.

The fire forced the evacuation of 30,000 people, some of whom abandoned their cars and fled on foot to safety.

Nearly 3,000 acres of the Pacific Palisades area between the coastal towns of Santa Monica and Malibu had burned by the Palisades Fire, officials said.  Fire officials said that several people were injured, some with burns to faces and hands.

A second blaze dubbed the Eaton Fire broke out some 30 miles inland near Pasadena and doubled in size to 400 acres in a few hours, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said.

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Remarkable video shows three people surviving after a 15o foot portion of the Santa Cruz Pier collapses.  Two engineers and a project manager from a construction team fell into the ocean with the pier and were rescued as the portion that collapsed floated away.

Remarkable video captures the aftermath, and the lifeguards responding as even a skid loader was floating atop the debris.

CALIFORNIA – A portion of the Santa Cruz Wharf has collapsed and is floating away Monday, according to the National Weather Service.

Three people went into the water when the pier section collapsed, according to the Santa Cruz Police Department. Two of them were rescued by lifeguards, and a third person was able to get to safety on their own. All three were treated and released, according to Santa Cruz Fire Department officials.

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Unfortunately, as the Northwest coastal area of Florida continues to recover from Hurricane Helene, the National Hurricane Center is now warning of a tropical storm in the western gulf, heading East, that is likely to become Hurricane Milton.

There are many variables present within the models for the track of TS Milton as it develops and strengthens into a hurricane.  This storm will be a little unique in modern forecast as it is traveling from west to east. Storms that travel this way create a very different set of variables in the cone of uncertainty.

Due to this path, the area north of the impact eyewall will see winds offshore.  The area directly south of the impact eyewall will see winds directly onshore.   Preparations are always critical within the cone area; however, preparations for a west to east storm are even more critical.  A few miles and a little wobble can make all the difference in the storm surge.

Currently the cone of possibility extends from Ten Thousand Islands (South of Naples, FL) all the way to the Big Bend in the Peninsula of Florida. The center is Tampa Bay.  The entire west coast of Florida is in the cone of uncertainty.

(NHC) – At 400 PM CDT (2100 UTC), the center of Tropical Storm Milton was located near latitude 22.7 North, longitude 95.5 West. Milton is moving toward the north-northeast near 3 mph (6 km/h). A slow east-northeastward motion is expected to begin tonight. A slightly faster eastward to east-northeastward motion is forecast by Monday and Tuesday.

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Today at 2:00pm ET, President Donald J. Trump, will visit Valdosta, Georgia to receive a briefing on the devastation of Hurricane Helene, facilitate the distribution of relief supplies, and deliver remarks to the press.

VIDEO ADDED:  Franklin Graham Prayer at 13:30 of video.

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