Midwest to be blanketed with snow and ice

A massive winter storm is expected to blanket the Plains and Midwest with snow and ice early this week.

Freezing rain and snow are forecast for much of the 100 million residents in the nation's midsection promising travel chaos and school cancellations.

The weather service has issued a blizzard watch for today and tomorrow for southern Wisconsin, northern Illinois and northwest Indiana that includes the cities of Milwaukee and Chicago.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has urged residents to prepare themselves for the onslaught, according to Daily Mail.

The National Weather Service in Upton, N.Y. said heavy snow, sleet and freezing rain can be expected with 5 to 10 inches of snow and sleet accmulaton.

There will be snow this morning, transitioning to a wintry mix late this morning and this afternoon from south to north before becoming a period of freezing drizzle and light sleet this evening.

Then heavy snow and sleet develops overnight and is then expected to change to a mix of sleet and freezing rain by late Wednesday morning before tapering off late Wednesday.

According to the Weather Service, travel will be impacted through at least into Wednesday evening. Snow and ice accumulations will make for dangerous travel. Ice accumulations will likely knock down some tree limbs and power lines, Westport Now reports.