A wave of severe weather hit the Midwest and East Coast as rain and high winds swept through on Wednesday following record high temperatures experienced nationwide the day before. Reports confirm six tornadoes, five in northern Illinois and one in Michigan, marking a historic event as February rarely sees tornadoes in the Chicago metro area. About 123 million Americans were under high wind alerts, with wind speeds of at least 39 mph forecasted for cities like Chicago, Buffalo, New York, Boston, and Atlanta.

Heavy rains are expected in the Northeast, with New York City set to receive the heaviest rainfall between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m., followed by Washington, D.C. from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., and Boston from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. Flood watches have been issued in parts of northern New England and the Ohio River Valley due to the threat of heavy rain.

The weather shift from Tuesday to Wednesday was drastic, with 92 record high temperatures reported from the southern Plains to the Northeast. Some areas, however, anticipated well above-normal temperatures amid the gloomy weather. Meanwhile, the Sierra Nevada mountain range is preparing for heavy snowfall, with communities between Lake Tahoe and Yosemite expecting 5 to 10 feet of snow between Thursday and Sunday.

Drivers near Yosemite National Park have been advised to have chains ready for travel in the region starting on Thursday as the heavy snowfall is forecasted to impact the area.