22M Super Tuesday voters in path of storms

WASHINGTON, March 1 (UPI) -- Multiple states are facing rain, snow, and thunderstorms, some potentially severe, which could affect Super Tuesday voting as it takes place across 12 states and a U.S. territory.

A large front threatens 22 million people in the South and Midwest with thunderstorms, hail and snow. The weather system is expected to move from Arkansas to Ohio on Tuesday, possibly keeping some voters at home.

"Weather is expected to be quite impactful on Super Tuesday in Arkansas," AccuWeather meteorologist Tim Loftus said. "Unsettled weather will likely decrease voter turnout across the state."

The National Weather Service warns of a slight risk of severe thunderstorms over parts of the Lower Mississippi Valley, Ohio Valley, Tennessee Valley, and the Southeast.

"Showers and thunderstorms will develop along and ahead of the associated front from parts of the Southern Plains to Western Ohio Valley, on Tuesday morning, that will move eastward to the Southern Mid-Atlantic Coast to the Eastern Gulf Coast by Wednesday morning," the NWS said in a statement. "Snow will also develop over parts of the Middle Mississippi Valley eastward to the Great Lakes that will move into parts of the Western Ohio Valley by Tuesday evening."

Rain will also occur in parts of the eastern Ohio Valley Tuesday afternoon and evening before the system moves toward parts of New England by Wednesday morning. Snow is forecast over the Great Lakes, which will move east toward the Northern and Central Appalachians by Wednesday morning.

Some storms are forecast for Virginia, Tennessee, Georgia and Alabama. Vermont and Massachusetts should be clear on Tuesday. Oklahoma, Arkansas and Texas could experience storms in the morning, which will be cleared by gusty winds in the afternoon. Colorado, North Dakota and Minnesota should be clear on Tuesday.

In American Samoa and Colorado, only Democratic voters will cast ballots. In Alaska, only Republican voters will cast ballots. Both parties hold primaries in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Massachusetts, Minnesota and Vermont.

For Republicans, there are 595 delegates at stake on Tuesday -- 1,237 are needed to win the GOP nomination. For Democrats, 1,032 delegates are at stake -- 2,383 are needed to win the Democratic nomination.

Super Tuesday often serves as a turning point for candidates' campaigns -- a day which can revive or destroy a candidate's hopes of ascension to the nomination and the White House.