CNN  — 

A series of storms will dash across the country beginning Thursday, dropping a mixed bag of wintry weather and leaving in their wake the coldest temperatures of the season.

Over 100 million people are under some sort of winter storm watch, advisory or warning across the United States.

The first storm is expected to bring 2 to 4 inches of snow Thursday and Friday from Indiana east to Pennsylvania, then into the interior Northeast.

On Friday, major metro areas on the East Coast likely will face light snow ahead of and during the morning commute. The storm should move so quickly that accumulations are expected to remain low in New York and Boston.

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The storm system is associated with the same upper-level energy as one on the West Coast that dumped rain in Los Angeles and elsewhere as well as caused blizzard conditions in the Sierra Nevada.

Snow is likely in Kansas City, St. Louis and Chicago

The second storm will exit the Rockies and likely will begin to drop snow late Friday across Kansas.

In Missouri, Kansas City and St. Louis – which received the brunt of a storm last week– will get less accumulation this time. However, winds could gust up to 35 mph, causing blowing and drifting snow through Saturday night.

Lake effect snow will enhance the amounts that Milwaukee and Chicago could face through the weekend. Both cities may get more than half a foot of snow if the conditions remain right.

Indiana and Ohio could see rain to the south, snow to the north and ice and snow across the states’ centers.

Icing is possible along I-95 corridor in New England

This second storm will be more significant for the Northeast than the first.

As the low tracks farther east, warm air is likely to mix in from the South. At this time, it’s uncertain exactly where the line between rain and snow will form.

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Forecasters expect a substantial amount of precipitation Saturday evening through Sunday up and down the East Coast. It’s unclear on the timing or what type of precipitation is likely in the Northeast.

Forecasters expect a substantial amount of precipitation Saturday evening through Sunday up and down the East Coast. It’s unclear on the timing of what type of precipitation is expected for metro areas in the Northeast.

This situation is reminiscent of an event earlier in the season when forecast models were showing warmer air leading to little or no snow totals. The models all came true, except in New York, where the colder air spilled in and inches of snow caught many New Yorkers by surprise.

CNN Meteorologist Chad Myers said the storm in November was more difficult to forecast because it was early in the season when the models are just beginning to run winter equations, and the actual air profile doesn’t act like winter yet.

“Now that we are in the middle of winter the models should do better with this storm.”

The latest model forecast indicates snow starting Saturday evening in Boston and New York, which will then turn into a wintry mix and freezing rain overnight into Sunday.

Those close to the coast could see rain, but a few miles inland it will be a freezing rain mix and then a snow mix a bit farther inland. The snow will start piling up quickly after that.

Winter storm watches are already posted for upstate and inland New England. Heavy snow and sleet will pile up at least 6 to 12 inches deep, with some icing for added misery.

The Interstate 95 corridor through New England seems to be where the bulk of the ice will form, with up to an inch of freezing rain possible in Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts.

A flash freeze is likely behind the storm

Behind this second storm, a deep chill will grip much of the eastern half of the United States.

It may warm up enough for rain across the Midwest and Northeast on Sunday but will quickly dip below freezing. It’s expected to happen so fast it would instantly freeze any moisture on the ground or surrounding objects.

Highs on Sunday in the Kansas City area – where the Chiefs will be host to the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship game – will be in the 20s.

The extreme cold follows the storm and moves into the rest of the Eastern United States on Monday.

The National Weather Service in Boston said it’s expecting “a roller coaster of temperatures through this portion of the forecast” and “a prolonged period of well below normal temperatures early next week.”

Keep the hand warmers handy, because temperatures won’t just be below average Sunday and Monday.

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“For the most part, this winter the jet stream has traveled horizontally across the US. Sure, there have been some ups and downs, but nothing like what is to come,” CNN’s Myers said.

“By next week the jet stream will flow from Fairbanks (Alaska) to Texas. So, for example, the following Saturday Anchorage will be 32 and Chicago will be 13.”

This arctic air will spill out across the country later next week as far south as Florida, leaving most of the continental United States with below-average temperatures.

CNN’s Monica Garrett contributed to this report.