Feet of snow - Lake-effect snow machine turns on

The lake-effect snow machine will turn back on as a surge of arctic air moves through the region.

Weather & Radar's expert meteorologists broke down the potent winter storm that is impacting the East Coast today in the Breakfast Brief. Behind this powerful system, frigid arctic air will move over the Great Lakes, creating a robust lake-effect snow event through the end of the week.

The WeatherRadar shows intense bands of lake-effect snow downwind of Lakes Superior and Michigan today. Lake-effect snow bands will set up downwind of Lakes Erie and Ontario tonight into early Thursday. Snow totals will range from a few inches to more than 2 feet in the hardest-hit snow belts.

Travel impacts are expected, especially along I-90 and I-81, portions of which will pick up significant snowfall. On Thursday, the WindRadar shows gusts between 20 and 40 mph. Blowing snow will create blizzard-like conditions at times, making travel difficult to impossible.

Warmer temperatures will move in over the weekend, helping to turn off the lake-effect snow machine. In Erie, Pa., high temperatures will jump from the 20s on Friday to the mid-and upper-30s by the weekend. Our 14-day weather trend shows even warmer air moving in next week.