Damaging winds will be the greatest risk in both regions,

 Damaging winds will be the greatest risk in both regions,

 with cities like Cleveland; Columbus, Ohio; Indianapolis and Detroit on guard in the northern risk area, and Mobile, Alabama, and Tallahassee, Florida, at risk in the southern area.Through Friday, the Chicago area is forecast to see peak wind gusts of 35-40 mph. Detroit is bracing for gusts up to 45-50 mph, and Indianapolis may see gusts reaching 55-60 mph. Buffalo, New York, has the strongest winds in its forecast, at 60 mph.

These widespread, long-duration wind gusts will likely down trees, cause power of elopements outages and delay air travel through Thursday night.As the storms roll on, snow will continue across northern Wisconsin and northern Michigan, with several inches expected through Friday morning.Some showers will also move into the Northeast, with a wintry mix of sleet and freezing rain possible as the storm system's northern edge interacts with colder air in New England.

But in parts of the Ohio Valley, Mid-Atlantic and Northeast, strong southerly winds will bring a warm, spring-like airmass. High temperatures were forecast to be 15-25 degrees above average on Thursday across the Ohio Valley, with even higher readings expected Friday across the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast.Temperatures in Richmond, Virginia, are forecast to soar into the 70s, New York City's into the mid-50s, and those in Washington, D.C., into the mid-60s on Friday, making it feel more like late March than early February.This warmth could bring about several record highs on Thursday and Friday, including for cities like Detroit; Richmond, Virginia; Hartford, Connecticut; Binghamton, New York; and Providence, Rhode Island.

Temperatures will remain mild by February standards through the weekend.