Freezing cold temperatures hit large parts of the U.S. Monday as northeastern New England region began digging out of its fourth winter storm in a month, while the mid-Atlantic region and parts of the south were hit with their own blast of snow and ice.
Snow swirled sideways in Kentucky and the state capital of Frankfort came to frozen halt Monday. Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear urged people to stay home if possible. The state was expecting anywhere from anywhere from 15 to 38 centimeters of snow by late Monday.
Freezing rain was forecast for northern Mississippi and snow and sleet is possible in north Georgia.
The nation's capital, Washington, is preparing for up to 30 centimeters of snow, in Boston more than 2.4 meters of snow have fallen this year and another 20 centimeters is expected by Thursday.
Along with the snow, the eastern United States is experiencing record breaking cold for mid-February. The coldest spots Monday were Watertown, New York, where the thermometer hit -36.6 Celsius, and Mount Washington, New Hampshire, with a reading of -37 Celsius.
"It’s getting a little tiring. I love Maine, I love the winter," said a resident of the northeastern state. "But this winter makes you question it."
The Washington area has dealt with tree-toppling winds and temperatures as low as minus-15 degrees over the last two days. With the ground frozen solid and temperatures expected to hover at or below freezing for the rest of the week, any snow that falls will be slow to melt.
People here can expect little sympathy from fellow Americans in northern states such as Massachusetts and New Hampshire, where some motorists have given up trying to dig out their cars and resorted to more basic forms of transportation – including their feet and their sleds.
As one bundled-up man said, "All you can do is grin and bear it."
