Heavy lake-effect snow creates treacherous travel in Great Lakes region as widespread Arctic chill freezes US

Biting cold conditions will sweep across a large swath of the United States Sunday while heavy, record-breaking lake-effect snow makes post-holiday travel “treacherous” and nearly “impossible” in parts of the Great Lakes region.

Biting cold temperatures – below-freezing in some areas – will sweep across a large swath of the United States Sunday while record-breaking, lake-effect snow makes post-holiday travel treacherous and nearly “impossible” in parts of the Great Lakes region. People in parts of New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio faced low temperatures and several inches of snow over the weekend. Near Lake Erie in Conneaut, Ohio, where additional snow accumulation could reach up to 5 inches on Sunday, a home’s roof appeared to be draped in snow Saturday, video shared with CNN by resident Ashley Drew shows. The home’s blue front door was only partially visible behind a wall of snow, as snow continued to fall. Nearly 70% of the continental US will feel the chill of temperatures below 32 degrees over the next few days. Some areas including New York City, Chicago, Atlanta, Minneapolis and Cincinnati will experience below-average temperatures for the entire week. In Amherst, New York, located in Erie County, below-freezing temperatures prompted authorities on Saturday to issue a code blue alert, inviting anyone in need of shelter during the extreme cold to call for help. Erie County is among 11 counties under a state of emergency that New York Gov. Kathy Hochul issued Friday in response to the ongoing lake-effect snowfall that began late Thursday.