Subzero temperatures and blizzard conditions are anticipated across much of the Midwest, making life more difficult for weather-related jobs.
The storm is predicted to hit the eastern country on Wednesday, is forecast to bring wind chills as low as - 40 degrees Fahrenheit to Kansas, blizzard conditions to Illinois, and heavy snow to Michigan.
Forecasters warn that when the Arctic air swings through, it will arrive swiftly, with temperatures plummeting 25 to 35 degrees in just a few hours.
The system is also anticipated to bring temperatures below freezing as far south as Texas and Florida, as well as strong winds across much of the country.
For many Americans, the bad weather will jeopardise Christmas travel and make leaving the house dangerous.
for thousands of others whose employment put them in the path of the storm, the storm will spell an especially difficult, uncomfortable, and perhaps deadly week at work.