A major winter blast is stirring up dangerous conditions across the U.S. central and southern states all the way to the East Coast

A huge swath of the U.S. was blasted with ice, snow and wind on Monday as the polar vortex that dipped south over the weekend kept much of the country east of the Rockies in its frigid grip, making many roads treacherous,

According to the National Weather Service, a polar vortex will impact most of the country this weekend, here is what you need to know.

A new blast of Arctic air sweeping from north to south will bring bone-chilling temperatures to millions of Americans this weekend and next week.

Cities across the U.S. are bracing for cold temperatures as a polar vortex arrives, bringing temperatures down to much below normal for mid-to-late January. Parts of Utah are on the "very western fringe" of a cold front that will bring in air from the Arctic.

Dangerous temperatures are sweeping the country, with 100 million people from the Plains to the Northeast feeling the chill. Even those in the South will see some effects. Several cities have already declared weather emergencies,