Snow Map Shows States Where Heaviest Snow Is Set to Fall

Millions of Americans will see their towns and cities blanketed with thick snow as most of the country is set to be hit with record-breaking Arctic air and dangerously cold temperatures.

Conditions are predicted to be so extreme that National Weather Service forecasters say they expect to see old records smashed as temperatures plummet to new lows and snow piles up on the streets.

Fierce winter storms are set to batter most of the Lower 48 this week, bringing freezing rain, damaging winds, and snow blizzards. It comes after several Midwestern states—including eastern Iowa, northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin—saw up to 10 inches of snow fall on Friday evening in a winter storm so big that it could be seen from space.

However, the weather is set to heap yet more misery upon the U.S., which suffered wildly extreme conditions last year, with droughts followed by floods and crippling summer heatwaves, and then a bitterly and unusually cold winter.

Experts fear that climate change is set to make extreme weather patterns worse, with a series of researchers and scientists telling Newsweek their grim predictions for the future. Many said that more thunderstorms and floods are likely, along with tornadoes, hurricanes, and droughts.

An Arctic blast has brought subzero air temperatures and even colder wind chills this week, with the conditions set to continue until the weekend. Temperatures are so cold that voters hoping to participate in the Iowa caucuses were warned they risked frostbite and hypothermia by standing in line before a Donald Trump rally on Sunday night as the mercury dropped to minus 17 degrees Celsius with windchill factors.

However, some areas will hit even lower temperatures. The Plains states are likely to see minus 30 degrees Celsius with windchill factors, and Montana and the Dakotas will see minus 50 degrees Celsius, according to the National Weather Service. By Tuesday, snowfall is expected to reach the Appalachians and Mid-Atlantic, including Washington D.C., Philadelphia, and New York. "Regardless of how much falls, prepare for slippery road conditions," travelers and commuters were warned.

"Meanwhile, periods of heavy lake effect snowfall will continue downwind of the Great Lakes through Wednesday, with heavy accumulations focused across northern Michigan, western and Upstate New York including Buffalo," the NWS added. "In these areas, moderate to major winter weather impacts can be expected, where localized Winter Storm Watches and Warnings are in effect."

A map of the U.S. shows how the snowstorms are set to sweep across the country, and reveals which states are set to see the heaviest snow.

The map, produced by snow-forecast.com, shows snowstorms in green across various parts of the country. The green shading means that those areas are forecast to receive up to 5 cm (up to almost 2 inches) of snow. However, areas in orange are due to see between 5 and 10 cm (from almost 2 to almost 4 inches) of snow.

As the day goes on, the map changes to show how conditions alter throughout the day.

Parts of Alabama, Tennessee, Arkansas, and Mississippi are all included as those likely to see up to 10 cm of snow.

Mississippi and Alabama have both declared states of emergency and opened "warming centers" for residents unable to keep warm in their home or on the streets.

Although not shown on the maps above, Alaska is also forecast to suffer from extreme snow.

A blizzard warning is in place for the Central Beaufort Sea Coast from midnight on Monday through Wednesday, with "whiteout conditions" likely, according to forecasters. While overnight on Monday, parts of Alaska (such as Noatak Valley and the Northern Seward Peninsula) are forecast "total snow accumulations of 6 to 10 inches."

Residents across the U.S. are urged to check their local weather forecasts regularly for the most up-to-date information and alerts such as travel warnings in their areas.