A biting arctic blast rattled from the Midwest to the Northeast this morning, sending temperatures plummeting and blanketing some areas with snow and sleet. Parts of New York, Chicago and New England, among others, are seeing the first snows of the season while nearly a third of the country can expect temperatures 10 to 20 degrees below normal for this time of the year, meteorologists warned.

Temperatures in the Great Plains and Upper Midwest dropped as low as single digits on Tuesday morning, while Texas and mid-Atlantic states saw temperatures in the 20s, NBC reported.

In Chicago on Monday, the National Weather service recorded 0.4 inches of snow - the first of the season and a week ahead of schedule - and today, the temperature is expected to reach 24 degrees, which is 11 below normal for the date. And the Weather Service reported that even the Southeast can expect surprisingly low temperatures in the teens.
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Low temperatures: Nearly a third of the country is experiencing temperatures between 10 and 20 degrees lower than normal for this time of year. This map shows the temperatures this morning
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'If you haven't gotten your winter coat out down here it's time to do so,' Tom Niziol, a winter weather expert at the Weather Channel, told southerners.

As rain and clouds turn to snow, areas of the Great Lakes, the Ohio Valley, upstate New York and New England could see a dusting of snow this morning, according to the Weather Channel.

There could also be a little across New Jersey and New York City, which could make the morning commute more difficult, forecasters warned.

In these areas, the snow could settle on grass but is not expected to accumulate on roads.

But they said it would not be enough for a 'snow day' for kids and that there would not be a Great Lake snowstorm, as sometimes occurs this time of year.

In Massachusetts, snow is expected to fall but won't be around for long.

'No need to break out the shovels this early,' meteorologists reported on Boston.com.

In upstate New York and Chicago where the snow has hit harder, commuters were warned their visibility could be reduced.

Forecasters also warned that the snow that fell yesterday across Illinois will likely turn to slush today, making roads wet and potentially slippery.

The icy cold front moved swiftly across the U.S. thanks to a jet stream at 30,000 feet, where strong winds are moving at 150 knots. It will push arctic air eastward throughout today and tomorrow.

Boston.com reported that the speed of the wind means it will not last and that residents can expect milder temperatures by the end of the week and weekend.