Winter storm watches continue for parts of New York, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Ohio on Wednesday, where lake-effect snow is expected to wallop parts of the Great Lakes region, while a good portion of the continental United States is experiencing bitter-cold temperatures.

As millions continue to dig out from a massive lake effect snowstorm, western New York and Pennsylvania braced for another storm expected later in the week. Millions more on the East Coast were in the grip of a late-autumn freeze.

The first big snowfall of the season is blanketing towns in upstate New York and northwestern Pennsylvania as the hectic holiday travel and shopping weekend winds down. Both states have issued emergency declarations.

The Great Lakes experienced a surge of activity as arctic air passed over record-warm waters, generating prolific snowfall.

The governor of Pennsylvania has signed a disaster emergency declaration and reported that parts of Erie County in the northwest have received nearly a meter of snow, with more expected to fall until Monday night.