Freezing weather and snow storms across the U.S. could cause massive power outages over the next week and boost natural gas demand to its highest levels of the winter, according to energy analysts and reliability coordinators.

"Gusty winds will blow around unsecured objects. Tree limbs could be blown down and some power outages may result," the National Weather Service warned. "Winds this strong can make driving difficult, especially for high profile vehicles. Use extra caution."

Hold onto your hats because winds whipping across the Northeast and New England on Thursday have the potential to cause power outages and delay travel just as people get back into their normal routines after the holidays.