A strong winter storm is centered on Monday morning over the Great Lakes and a cold front is extending all the way to the Gulf Coast –- creating strong winds and rapid temperature changes for millions.

More than 125 million Americans are on alert for strong winds today, from Vermont to Texas. 

Gusts up to 45 mph are possible across these areas with wind advisories, and areas under high wind warnings, like Cleveland, Ohio, could have gusts up to 60 mph on Monday.

A blizzard warning is in effect for more than 2 million Americans across parts of Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin and the upper peninsula of Michigan. Heavy snow and gusts up to 50 mph are creating whiteout conditions there.

Marquette, Michigan, has reported a foot of snowfall with this storm — and it is also under the blizzard warning. Parts of Minnesota already reporting 6 inches or more, as snow continues to fall this morning.

Minneapolis, Minnesota, is under a winter storm warning until 9 a.m. CT because 1 to 3 inches of snow and gusts up to 40 mph will reduce visibility this morning.

In northeast New York and through much of Vermont there is an ice storm warning on Monday morning.

Significant icing is already underway with total ice accumulations of 4 to 7 tenths of an inch possible. This will make travel impossible and also take down trees and power lines.

On the track for this storm, by noon on Monday, snow will be out of Wisconsin and falling across Michigan and moving into Ohio, western Pennsylvania and western New York.

Rain is forecast to be ending from Baltimore to New York City and still coming down through the afternoon from Boston, Massachusetts, up through Maine, while icing is still occurring in upstate New York and Vermont.

At 6 p.m. ET, rain is expected to be ending in Boston. Lake effect snow will be kicking off across Nebraska, Ohio, northeast Pennsylvania and upstate New York.

That lake effect snow machine is expected to continue through much of this week.

Places like Orchard Park, New York, could see 1 to 3 feet of snow this week. Gusts up to 65 mph could create whiteout conditions at times.

New Year’s weather forecast

On New Year’s Even, much of the country will be quiet, with above average temps through much of the West and into the Great Plains.

In the Northeast on New Year’s Eve, there is expected to be another round of snow, especially for areas that usually see lake effect snow.

In fact, there may even be a few flurries in Times Square as the ball drops — but accumulation is not expected.

In the West on New Year’s Eve, more rain is expected across California as a low pressure system moves up the coast, remaining offshore. There is a slight risk for renewed flash flooding in the Southern California area, a level 2 out of 4 risk.

On New Year’s Day on Thursday, colder-than-normal temperatures are expected from Minneapolis, Minnesota, to Washington, D.C., and areas north, while the inner mountain West and Heartland feel above-average temps.

Lake effect snow will continue off Erie and Ontario, still building towards that weeks-long total of 1 to 3 feet for places like Orchard Park and Jamestown.

Rain will become more widespread in the West, with places like Los Angeles, California; Las Vegas, Nevada; Phoenix, Arizona; Salt Lake City, Utah; Portland, Oregon; and Seattle, Washington, all getting rain on New Year’s Day.