Winter Storm to Wallop Midwest and Northeast With More Snow, Ice and Arctic Cold

The snowstorm is expected to arrive in Minneapolis tonight.

ByABC News
December 16, 2016, 11:11 AM

— -- A winter storm that has blanketed the Pacific Northwest with snow and ice continued its journey across country today, threatening more snow and bitter cold temperatures from the Rocky Mountains through the Great Lakes region.

PHOTO: The winter storm will bring heavy snow as it moves into the upper Midwest and the Great Lakes regions on Friday.
The winter storm will bring heavy snow as it moves into the upper Midwest and the Great Lakes regions on Friday.

The storm is forecast to arrive in Minneapolis around 6:30 p.m. ET and could leave behind 6 to 10 inches of fresh snow in the area. The coast-to-coast weather system is expected to sweep into the Northeast region after midnight, where inland areas could see over 6 inches of snow locally, according to ABC News meteorologists.

PHOTO: Despite single-digit temperatures people stroll along the lakefront, Dec. 15, 2016, in Chicago, Illinois.
Despite single-digit temperatures people stroll along the lakefront, Dec. 15, 2016, in Chicago, Illinois.

By Saturday morning, New York City could have 2 to 3 inches of fresh snow while Boston is expected to receive 3 to 5 inches. But that won’t be the end of the storm’s wrath. A second arctic front is forecast to bring frigid cold and another burst of snow to the Midwest region Saturday night, from Chicago to Kansas City to Oklahoma City, according to ABC News meteorologists.

PHOTO: The snowstorm will move into the Northeast region after midnight. Inland areas could see more than a half a foot of snow locally.
The snowstorm will move into the Northeast region after midnight. Inland areas could see more than a half a foot of snow locally.
PHOTO: A man walks down an ice and snow covered alley toward an L station, Dec. 15, 2016, in Chicago, Illinois.
A man walks down an ice and snow covered alley toward an L station, Dec. 15, 2016, in Chicago, Illinois.

Wind chills, or "feels-like" temperatures, will be below freezing for much of the country by Sunday morning, with the coldest of -49 degrees Fahrenheit expected to be in Minneapolis, according to ABC News senior meteorologist Max Golembo.

“Behind this snowstorm, we have even colder temperatures for the Midwest and the South this time,” Golembo said.

PHOTO: The wind chills, or feels like temperatures, will make this winter storm feel even colder over the weekend.
The wind chills, or feels like temperatures, will make this winter storm feel even colder over the weekend.

As of this morning, 38 states were under winter weather alerts, including Texas and Arizona, which usually boast warmer climes.

As the winter storm moves east, ABC News meteorologists said moderate to heavy rain is in store for much of southern California and parts of southern Arizona today.

PHOTO: The weather radar on Friday morning showed moderate to heavy rain for much of southern California and some of southern Arizona.
The weather radar on Friday morning showed moderate to heavy rain for much of southern California and some of southern Arizona.

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