Multiple states have issued winter storm warnings and advisories for parts of the Great Lakes, the Ohio Valley, the Mid-Atlantic and the Northeast as an arctic cold front is expected to bring heavy snow and gusty winds, creating dangerous travel conditions, the National Weather Service said Wednesday with .

According to the latest short-range forecast, “Wind gusts of up to 50 mph will extend from the northern Plains to the Great Lakes this evening and into the central Appalachians, Mid-Atlantic and Northeast by Thursday.”

The NWS cautions that the strong winds could lead to power outages, fallen tree limbs and dangerous commutes.

Those in the lake-effect snow belts in the Great Lakes region could see one to two feet of snow, while the central Appalachians and higher terrain inland New England could see a foot of snow.

Notes and warnings

Parts of the Great Lakes region are under a winter storm watch and warning for the next few days, NWS meteorologists said.

Through Thursday, blizzard warnings were issued for the mountains of West Virginia and Garret, Maryland, and wind gusts could reach up to 60 miles per hour.

Winter storm warnings have been issued for parts of Indiana, Maine, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Vermont, West Virginia and Wisconsin through the end of the week.

Winter weather advisories have been issued for portions of Connecticut, Indiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin through Thursday and Friday.

Lake effect snow warnings are also in effect through Saturday for parts of Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York.

Lake effect snow occurs when wind-driven cold air flows over warmer lakes. In the case of this winter storm, the Great Lakes experienced record warmth.

Icy temperatures for millions

The bitter cold continues this week; Temperatures in the Midwest could be 30 degrees below average on Thursday. The lower Ohio River Valley and the central Appalachians could see “multiple record low temperatures,” the NWS said in its Wednesday update.