The Arctic blast ravaging much of the continental U.S. may be ending soon, but one region is bracing for another cold-related weather event this week.

The eastern half of the U.S. from Minnesota to northern Florida and into New England was blanketed in frigid conditions Friday morning, a continuation of the frigid temperatures experienced across the country in recent days.

Wind chills Friday morning were below zero degrees Fahrenheit in Minneapolis, near zero in Chicago and in the teens and single digits in the Northeast.

Temperatures are near freezing in northern Florida and southern Georgia, where a freeze warning has been issued.

Lake effect snow – the result of cold air flowing over the Great Lakes while they are still ice-free – brought 3.5 feet of snow to western New York and up to 20 inches to northern lower Michigan on Thursday. Winds gusted to nearly 40 miles per hour, creating whiteout conditions in the heaviest lake-effect snow bands.

On Friday morning, the lake effect snow warning continued for Ohio, Pennsylvania and western New York, where between 6 inches and 30 cm of snow could accumulate in some areas, according to forecasts.

The cold air will continue for another day Saturday before a moderate trend sets in for most of the East on Sunday and into next week.

However, a new storm system will move into the Plains and Midwest Friday into Saturday morning. The National Weather Service has issued an ice storm warning for Iowa and other ice warnings from Kansas to Minnesota.

Cities including Des Moines, Minneapolis and Omaha are under alert starting Friday and continuing through Saturday morning.

Freezing rain could glaze roads to a thickness of more than half an inch, creating treacherous driving conditions.

What is an ice storm?

According to the National Weather Service, heavy rainfall in temperatures below freezing can trigger an ice storm.

According to the NWS, ice accumulations can topple trees, communications towers and utility poles. In addition, ice storms can produce black ice – patchy ice on roads or other traffic surfaces that is not easily visible – and ice jams in lakes and streams, which can lead to severe flooding, according to the NWS.

How to prepare for an ice storm

The NWS advises residents at risk of a winter storm to ensure their homes, vehicles and offices are stocked with necessary supplies such as chargers, food, first aid kits, fuel and jumper cables.

The authority also recommended that residents ensure that pets and farm animals are provided with essentials.