The storm is expected to sweep through much of the United States, leaving "extremely dangerous" conditions in its wake as it tracks eastwards from the High Plains and Rockies, the National Weather Service (NWS) said.
It warned that the Arctic blast will bring sub-zero temperatures and wind chills, which "pose a life-threatening risk of hypothermia and frostbite to exposed skin".
US transportation officials, including airport authorities in several major cities, have warned of weekend travel disruption, delays and cancellations.
The winter storm is forecast to move slowly across the US, blanketing cities including Memphis, Nashville, Washington DC, Baltimore, Philadelphia and New York with snow.
Heavy snow is predicted through the Southern Rockies and Plains, into the Mid-Atlantic and reaching the Northeast.
According to the NWS Probabilistic Precipitation Portal, the regions that could see more than a foot of snow stretch from Colorado to West Virginia to Boston.
