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.

Officials are rushing to reschedule Mardi Gras celebrations and warning revelers against brining umbrellas and tents as powerful storms with a threat of tornadoes are expected to strike Louisiana and

New Orleans moved up its two biggest Mardi Gras Day parades and cut down their routes to try to avoid the potentially destructive weather. Police are also expected to keep the hundreds of participants and dozens of floats moving quickly so they finish before winds are expected to pick up,

A powerful storm system will spawn severe weather that's likely to produce tornadoes, widespread damaging winds and hail beginning Monday night and Tuesday in the South before spreading to the East Coast on Wednesday.

AccuWeather forecasters break down the threat of dangerous severe weather as storms tear from the Plains to the Southeast from the night of March 3 into March 5.