The Twin Cities area could see more than 1 foot of snow.
A major storm is moving from the Rockies to the East Coast over the next two days, bringing with it heavy snow to the Upper Midwest and severe thunderstorms to the east.
From Arkansas to Tennessee to Kentucky to Indiana, the threat will be strong tornadoes and damaging winds on Friday night.
Shortly before 7 p.m. local time, a “large and extremely dangerous tornado” was confirmed near Jonesboro, Arkansas, moving northeast at 60 mph, according to the National Weather Service.
In Monette, Arkansas, two people were killed at a nursing home when a suspected tornado moved through Friday night, Craighead County, Arkansas, Judge Marvin Day told Jonesboro ABC affiliate KAIT. Five others suffered serious injuries.
Tornadoes were also confirmed on the ground in Mayfield, Kentucky, at about 9:30 p.m. local time and near Hornersville, Missouri, at about 8 p.m. local time.
Tornado watches have also been issued in Little Rock, Arkansas, and Memphis, Tennessee.
The worst tornado threat is from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. Tornadoes are especially dangerous at night because residents may sleep through alerts.
Meanwhile, a winter storm warning has been issued in the Upper Midwest and the Great Lakes where snow is set to blow through Colorado, Wyoming, South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin. A winter storm warning is in effect for cities including Aspen, Sioux Falls and Minneapolis.
This will be the first major winter storm for the Minneapolis-St. Paul region this season. The Twin Cities area could see more than 1 foot of snow.
Along the East Coast, record-high temperatures are possible Saturday afternoon.
Temperatures are forecast to climb to 62 degrees in Boston, 66 in New York, 73 in Washington, D.C., and 77 in Savannah, Georgia.
But strong thunderstorms may hit the Carolinas and the Northeast on Saturday night. There is a small chance of tornadoes in the Mid-Atlantic.
Wind alerts are being issued from Chicago to Philadelphia to Washington, D.C. Power outages are possible.
ABC News’ Matt Foster contributed to this report.
