while cold air moving east could bring a flash freeze and a rapid temperature drop across the country. Forecasters said on Monday that a developing winter storm will bring frigid conditions to much of the United States this week, including snowfall that will cause travel delays ahead of the Christmas holiday weekend.

According to the National Weather Service, the Midwest and Great Lakes region could see a major blizzard beginning Thursday,

According to the National Weather Service, the Midwest and Great Lakes region could see a major blizzard beginning Thursday, while cold air moving east could bring a flash freeze and a rapid temperature drop across the country. "Friday does not appear to be a good day to travel across the Midwest," said Greg Carbin, chief of forecast operations at the NWS Weather Prediction Center. "From coast to coast, it'll definitely feel like winter."
He warned that airports and roads from Chicago to St. Louis could be disrupted beginning Thursday, while the rest of the country battles falling temperatures.
The greatest danger exists in Kansas, Nebraska, and Iowa, as well as parts of Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan. Snow accumulations could exceed a foot, according to Carbin.
Rain and thunderstorms are possible in the southern states through Thursday, with temperatures dropping significantly. Wind chill temperatures along the Gulf Coast could reach 30 degrees, he said.
"Wind chill temperatures will be extremely cold," he predicted.

The NWS also warned of "bone-chilling" cold in parts of Washington state, as well as the Northern Plains states of Montana, Wyoming, and the Dakotas.