By Steve Gorman

(Reuters) – Arctic air swept across the north tier of the United States on Monday. Wind-chill alerts were posted from Montana and Maine.

According to the weather service, this frigid air mass was brought in by a cold front that swept over the East Coast and Atlantic. It is expected to produce a mix of cold temperatures and wind chills which can make the East Coast feel as cold at minus 40° Fahrenheit (minus 40 Celsius).

The NWS warns that such dangerously low wind chill factors could cause frostbite to exposed skin within 10 minutes.

Cold, Arctic winds from the west will bring snowfall to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, New York, and Pennsylvania in the coming days. The NWS stated that snow depths exceeding 30cm are possible at Tug Hill in New York.

On Monday, 12 wind-chill advisories and warnings were issued in the north section of the United States. They ranged from Montana’s northeast corner to Maine.

The subzero (above minus 18 Celsius), wind chill conditions will abate in the Midwest and Great Lakes by Tuesday, but will be locked in for the Northeastern and New England through Wednesday morning according to the NWS Forecast.

A warming trend has been predicted for the Great Plains, where highs will soar higher than average on Tuesday, Wednesday.

The weather service reported that heavy rains will return across the nation, and floods could occur in the northern coast region of Washington State’s Washington on Tuesday and Wednesday. This follows a short respite from flooding and extreme downpours last week.