(NEXSTAR) -- A massive winter storm is expected to hit a large portion of the United States this weekend, but that first spell of winter weather is just the beginning of what could be a multi-wave storm. More than half of the United States is under some sort of winter weather watch or advisory, bringing frigid temperatures to the south of the country and heavy snow to the northeast. According to Nexstar chief meteorologist Brian James, the first wave of this storm will begin late Friday night go into Saturday afternoon. Snow is expected to develop across large parts of Oklahoma and northern Texas including Dallas and into western Arkansas and northwestern Louisiana. "As we head through the day on Saturday, that first wave moves off into the east. So Kentucky, Tennessee down to parts of Mississippi, Alabama, back into sections of northern Louisiana," James said. While there may be a lull early Saturday afternoon, the second wave of the storm will begin late Saturday afternoon and into Sunday, exposing those same areas to more of the same winter weather. "In some cases, you may be talking about convecting freezing rain, sleet, and snow occurring where you're going to have the potential for lightning and thunder in addition," James said. By Monday morning, the storm will encompass the far northeastern parts of the United States. And if that isn't enough, the precipitation will be followed by a substantial amount of cold air blowing through the region, with air temperatures reaching into the negative double-digits. Several states in the path of the storm have declared states of emergency ahead of the storm and are asking residents to avoid travelling in high-risk areas.