Very cold weather swooping into our region by the end of the week

(WTXF/AP) - Get your winter gear ready because we definitely are going to need it!

Skies are clearing, winds are light, and it will be a comfortable evening across the region with temperatures in the 40s.

Cold air is locked up in the northern plains and Canada, but it will be moving our way later on this week. We have an area of high pressure building in during the day on Tuesday, though it will be brief. Then, a cold front moves through Tuesday night.

Behind that cold front comes a reinforcing shot of colder air that will spread very cold temperatures. So all of that polar air is going to be swinging down and by Thursday the core of that polar vortex air will be just to the north of Maine -- close enought to bring us the coldest air of the season.

Just how cold?

Thursday will be 19 degrees below average.

Thursday and Friday's highs won't go beyond the mid-20s. Saturday precipitation may start out as snow.

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WEATHER ALERTS: Watches, warnings, advisories by county

Snow fell throughout northern New England, with speeds reduced on snow-packed roads and numerous schools canceled or delayed. Snow is forecast across Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine with up to a foot of snow forecast for parts of southern Vermont. At least several inches were on the ground in parts of the region by Monday morning. Some rain was expected to mix with the snow in southern New Hampshire.

Into early Monday, the storm had dumped more than a half-foot on several states in the Midwest and Great Lakes regions, causing dangerous travel conditions. Hundreds of Michigan schools closed Monday as the state dug out from more than 10 inches of snow that fell over the weekend.

Snow generally cleared out of the Chicago area on Sunday night, though there was snow falling on Monday morning in some other parts of Illinois. The storms left Chicago-area freeways with patches of snow and ice, making travel more difficult. The area received more than 6 inches of snow as of Sunday night.