Copyright Salt Lake City Deseret News
Freeze watches and warnings are in place from Texas to the Carolinas and into Florida through Tuesday morning, per media reports, and officials are posting early warnings to prepare for difficult conditions. A frigid continental polar air mass is pushing temperatures 20 to 30 degrees below normal across the central and eastern two-thirds of the country, according to the National Weather Service. Cities across the country see up to 14 inches of snow Snow continues to fall across the Great Lakes, interior Northeast and the western slopes of the Appalachians. Up to 8 inches of additional snowfall is expected in these areas, with isolated higher totals possible in lake-effect snow belts, per the National Weather Service. Lake-effect snow warnings, winter weather advisories and winter storm warnings are currently in effect in parts of Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, West Virginia and Maine. Some communities have already seen significant snow. Up to 12 inches fell in just six hours in Momence, Illinois, while areas of northern Indiana and southern Michigan have reported 4 to 14 inches of accumulation, reported the Weather Channel. Residents urged to use caution amid dangerous weather conditions Gusty winds also contributed to dangerous travel conditions, including reduced visibility and accidents across Indiana and the Chicago area. In Chicago, O’Hare International Airport recorded nearly 2 inches of snow early Monday, while suburbs north of the city reported 6 to 7 inches. Winds along Lake Michigan have gusted up to 50 mph, per the Weather Channel. Emergency officials are urging residents to use caution on roadways and prepare for freezing temperatures. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul encouraged residents to take precautions ahead of lake-effect snowfall and freezing overnight wind chills, according to NBC News. Record-breaking lows to be seen across the region The cold is also reaching deep into the South. The New York Times reported that temperatures on the East Coast, down to Florida, are expected to drop to 30 and 40 degrees, with parts of the region challenging record lows not seen this early in the season in decades. Wind chills in the Midwest and South have already fallen into the teens and 20s. While the blast is strong, it will be brief. Milder air is anticipated to return to much of the central U.S. by midweek, per CNN. What are locals seeing? It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas? Many across the region have gone to social media to show the scene they woke up to.
