More than 55 million people across the central and southern US are at risk of severe weather on Tuesday as a violent storm sweeps across the country, bringing the potential for blizzard conditions, tornadoes and fire weather.

Powerful storms with a threat of tornadoes are expected to punch through Louisiana and other parts of the South on Tuesday just as huge parades and costumed revelers are set to celebrate Mardi

Severe storms sweeping through south Louisiana on Tuesday evening (March 4) spawned two confirmed tornadoes, causing damage to homes but no reported injuries. An EF1 tornado with peak winds of 90 mph touched down just east of Darrow in Ascension Parish near Donaldsonville,