Prepare to Bundle Up after Snowy Start to the New Year

The new year got off to a snowy start in the northwest corner of the U.S. as parts of Washington State saw several inches of snow.

That comes as severe cold is about to sweep the country from coast to coast.

In the northwest, heavy snow and freezing fog made travel difficult, causing traffic accidents and cancelling dozens of flights.

The snow caught many people by surprise.

"I was shocked," said one resident, who lives near Sea-Tac Airport. "I went to bed last night and had no idea and woke up, and yeah, it was all white."

In Seattle, two fire trucks collided on their way to a fire alarm Sunday morning. Eight firefighters suffered minor injuries.

The winter weather is expected to expand by mid-week, with an arctic blast of sub-zero temperatures hitting hardest across the Midwest.

"By the middle of the week, actual temperatures will bottom as low as 20 degrees Fahrenheit below-zero and will rival the coldest air of the season so far over the northern tier of the Central states," Accuweather.com reports.

The weather company is forecasting cold air all the way to the Atlantic coast and even into parts of the Deep South.