The calendar may say it's Autumn, but winter weather has already made an unseasonable appearance for a large area of the U.S, bringing with it freezing temperatures and measurable snowfall to several regions. A strong cold front is moving across the country, causing temperatures to drop from record highs in the 80s to below freezing. Heavy snow has already fallen from Colorado to South Dakota, with some areas getting 6 inches and others up to 19 inches. On Monday morning, 26 states from California to Pennsylvania were under freeze and frost alerts, with temperatures reaching below zero in some parts of the Rocky Mountains.
This cold air mass will move into the Midwest and the South by Tuesday morning, bringing the first freeze of the season for major cities such as Chicago, Indianapolis and Nashville. By Wednesday, the freeze will move even further east and south, bringing chilly temperatures to regions near Dallas, Birmingham and Atlanta.