The United States continues to grapple with relentless winter storms and biting cold, leading to deadly consequences that are expected to persist through the weekend, as reported by the

National Weather Service (NWS) on Saturday.

The NWS forecasts frigid temperatures, snow, freezing rain, and heavy showers across two-thirds of the country in the coming days. CBS News has documented 83 confirmed weather-related fatalities over the past week, highlighting the severe impact of the ongoing winter conditions.

Tennessee and Oregon have borne a significant share of the toll, accounting for 19 and 16 lives lost, respectively. Oregon witnessed a tragic incident where three individuals succumbed to apparent electrocution caused by a fallen power line onto their vehicle. Additional fatalities have been reported across multiple states, including Illinois, Pennsylvania, Mississippi, Washington, Kentucky, New York, and New Jersey.

The Pacific Northwest and parts of the South have faced extreme winter weather, resulting in record natural gas consumption for heating and power generation. This trend persists over the weekend, with hard-freeze warnings spanning a vast region from eastern Texas and Louisiana through Mississippi, Alabama, and parts of Florida and Georgia. Wind-chill factors as low as zero-degrees Fahrenheit are expected in Mississippi on Saturday night.

The NWS warns of a new cold air mass developing over the nation's midsection, causing temperatures to plummet 20 to 30 degrees below average from the High Plains to the Ohio and Tennessee valleys by Monday evening. Snowfall is anticipated downwind of the Great Lakes and across parts of the central Appalachians and the Northeast through Sunday evening.

Meanwhile, winter weather advisories are in effect for much of the Pacific Northwest, anticipating another round of freezing rain and showers. The Sierra Nevada mountains are expected to receive snow, while heavy rains and a risk of flash flooding loom over the lower elevations of northern California. Downpours might extend into Southern California on Monday, according to the NWS. The challenging winter conditions continue to impact a wide expanse of the nation, posing significant challenges and emphasizing the need for caution and preparedness. Photo by spurekar, Wikimedia commons.