Snow and freezing rain will hit much of the country this week

The week before Christmas is kicking off with a busy forecast.

Millions will either wake up to snow and ice or heavy rain and severe thunderstorms Monday as a storm system moves east.

Wintry weather from the Great Plains to the Northeast

As snow, freezing rain and mixed precipitation blanketed the Midwest and Ohio Valley Sunday, “a wide swath of snow” is expected Monday to hit areas in the central Plains eastward through the Midwest, the lower Great Lakes, central Appalachians and into the northern Mid-Atlantic States, according to the National Weather Service’s short range forecast.

Winter weather advisories cover areas just west of Washington D.C., Baltimore, Philadelphia and west of New York City and Boston. In these regions, a mix of sleet, snow and eventually rain is forecast.

The heaviest snow in the Northeast will stretch from northern Pennsylvania into New England, where 2-4 inches is forecast.

Cities such as Cleveland are expected to see 1-2 inches of snow, causing slick roads for the morning commute.

By Tuesday morning, much of New England will see snow transition into freezing rain, the NWS said.

Strong to severe thunderstorms in the Deep South

Severe thunderstorms with damaging winds and possible tornadoes are possible Monday across portions of the Deep South, the NWS said.

The storms will likely become strong as they sweep across the central and eastern Gulf states through Monday, the NWS said.

Thunderstorms will develop around midday and spread through much of the Southeast. The greatest tornado threat will be late Monday afternoon into the evening for cities such as Baton Rouge, Louisiana; and Hattiesburg and Jackson, Mississippi.

The storms will then move east overnight into Alabama and Georgia, with the primary threat of wind damage and isolated tornadoes.