Stormy week ahead for holiday travel

— -- Two storm systems are expected to move through the country this week, just ahead of the Christmas holiday, bringing more than a foot of snow to some areas and heavy rain to others.

The first storm is forecast to hit the far south on Monday, bringing as much as 4 inches of rain to some areas between Texas and the Carolinas.

The second storm is expected to bring snow and arctic cold from the Northwest into the Midwest. That system will start out Wednesday on the West Coast bringing rain from Seattle to San Francisco and mountain snow from the Cascades to the Sierra Range.

On Thursday, the storm system will move out into the Plains, bringing heavy snow from Denver to the Twin Cities. Some areas could see more than a foot of snow.

By Saturday, the storm system will reach the East Coast, lashing the areas between New York City and Atlanta with heavy rain and a few thunderstorms.

Behind the storm system, bitter cold air will spill into the Upper Midwest and the Plains, with some temperatures falling below zero.