CHICAGO – A winter storm is making its way across much of the U.S., bringing rain, snow and bitter cold to some areas.

The storm was spreading from the Sierra Nevada Mountains and into the Rocky Mountains on Saturday, with rain to lower elevations and heavy snow at higher elevations. The fast-moving storm is expected to move across the Great Plains and Midwest overnight, where temperatures in the storm’s path are expected to plummet. Some areas of Kansas may get as many as 8 inches (20 centimetres) of snow.

According to the National Weather Service, wind chills in northern Illinois could drop to minus-28 (minus-33 Celsius) by Monday morning. The National Weather Service said the usual low temperature for this time of year in Chicago is 24 degrees. Michigan also is in store for a bitter-cold start to March, with temperatures 20 degrees (-6.7 Celsius) to 30 degrees (-1 Celsius) below normal forecast Sunday through Wednesday. Temperatures in the northern part of the state could be as low as minus-13 (-25 Celsius) on Sunday night into Monday morning.

Meanwhile, winter storm watches are in effect for the upper East Coast beginning on Sunday night, with heavier snow possible in some areas.