A fast-impacting storm system moving across the Mid-Atlantic and parts of the Northeast The United States is keeping more than 100 million people on alert for snow and a surge of Arctic air this Friday.

Winter Storm Indigo wraps up its journey across the U.S. this Friday, dropping snow showers from the Ohio Valley to the mid-Atlantic and Northeast.

According to the National Meteorological Service (SMN) Another arctic outbreak will occur this weekend across much of the central and eastern United Stateswhich will not be as cold as the previous one recorded early this week, although “temperatures and icy winds will remain dangerous across much of the country.”

Snow has fallen in many places from Indiana to Delaware in recent hours, with cities like Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Washington, DC, Baltimore, Philadelphia and New York waking up covered in snow.

By the end of this Friday, the storm will be largely offshore, leading to a calm weekend with very cold temperatures across much of the Northeast. In New England, for example, minimum temperatures are expected to drop below 17 degrees below zero.

In addition, a blast of Arctic air is expected Friday and will linger over the Midwest and Great Lakes through the weekend.

Out West, avalanche warnings have been lifted in Colorado after several days of dangerous conditions on the mountainsides. Conditions appear to be improving slightly in the run-up to the weekend.

The extreme cold of the past week has affected millions of Americans. Image of Central Park in New York. Photo: AFP

Meanwhile, in the Pacific Northwest, snow will turn to sleet and freezing rain in parts of Washington and Oregon on Friday, which could lead to slick roads and dangerous travel.

Affected passengers

Another storm will make landfall from the Pacific Ocean later this weekend, bringing heavy rain to Central and Northern California.

Due to the weather conditions, at least 778 flights to or from the United States were canceled this Friday, while 1,637 were delayed.

La Guardia airports in New York and Reagan National airports in Washington DC are the hardest hit.

According to the Flight Aware portal, there were a total of 3,340 cancellations during the cold snap on Monday. (JO)