Bone-chilling Arctic air gripped much of the eastern United States on Saturday, while lake-effect snow threatened to leave some areas “paralyzed” and disrupt post-holiday travel in parts of the Great Lakes region,

From Minnesota to Texas, temperatures were expected to drop by double-digits as cold air swept over the record-warm Great Lakes, bringing the season's first lake effect snowfall. Common in the winter in this region of the US and Canada, lake effect snow occurs when very cold air moves across the relatively warm water of the lakes.

Post-Thanksgiving travel plans were thrown into trouble as almost 30 inches of snow fell along Lake Erie, closing a stretch of I-90 and stranding motorists.

Accumulating snow and tricky travel expected in the heaviest bands, particularly along a line from Grand Haven to Battle Creek and back to the lakeshore.

A Winter Storm Watch will be in effect for Cuyahoga and Geauga Counties from Sunday afternoon through Monday evening. The difference? The Lake effect warning is longer lasting, and will have higher snow totals.

LAKE EFFECT SNOW WARNINGS ARE UP FOR GENESEE AND WYOMING COUNTIES THROUGH THE WEEKEND AS HEAVY SNOW FALLS EAST OF LAKE ERIE. Snowfall rates 2-3″ per hour within LES bands will meander south of Buffalo and across the Tug Hill throughout Saturday and Sunday.