The nation's weather

Snowy weather was expected to move into the Eastern U.S. from the Plains on Tuesday.

A strong low pressure system that brought 3 to 5 inches of snow to the Midwest and Southern Plains was forecast to continue tracking east over the Mississippi River Valley and toward the East Coast.

Moisture from the Gulf of Mexico was expected to continue feeding the system, while flow around it could create a cold front extending down the Mississippi River and up the Ohio and Tennessee Valleys. Between 2 and 5 inches of snow was expected in much of the Midwest throughout the day. The Tennessee Valley could see up to an inch of snow in the morning, then a messy combination of frozen rain and sleet by afternoon with temperatures hovering above freezing.

Due to abundant moisture in the Gulf states, scattered showers and thunderstorms could develop over the Southeast. The storms were expected to kick up strong winds with gusts of up to 30 mph.

To the north, New England and the Northeast were expected to see an increasing chance for snow throughout the day. Between 1 and 2 inches of snow was anticipated by Tuesday evening.

Behind the strong system, a large ridge of high pressure could build in over the Plains. Cold and windy conditions were expected as Arctic air poured in from Canada. The Northern Plains could see highs just above zero with winds of up to 20 mph, and wind chills in the negative 20s.

In the West, another Pacific storm was forecast to move onshore and produce a cold front that could track through northern California. Nearly a half inch of rain was expected, with up to 3 inches of snow possible in the Sierras.

On Monday, temperatures in the Lower 48 states ranged from a low of negative 23 degrees at Jordan, Mont. to a high of 85 degrees at McAllen, Texas.