Another arctic blast will trigger THREE FEET of lake effect snow in Upstate New York

Upstate New York is braced to receive an onslaught of lake effect snow by week's end.

New Yorkers from Syracuse to Watertown could see as much as three feet thanks to the coldest temperatures to hit the region yet this season blowing across Lake Ontario.

Other lakeside cities like Chicago and Buffalo also expected major snow from the second bitter arctic blast of the year, which is set to chill Americans from Cincinnati to Boston by Thursday.

Weather maps of the Great Lakes region show nothing but snow in the forecast through Friday, with the most intense precipitation in Upstate New York.

Locally intense snowfall east of Lake Michigan, south of Lake Superior and east of Lake Ontario could reach a whopping four feet, according to Accuweather.com.

Lake effect snow occurs when cold, dry air passes over the relatively warm water of the Great Lakes and picks up moisture. That moisture eventually freezes and falls in the form of snow.

In addition to Upstate New York, parts of Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania also commonly feel the effects.

Buffalo, New York is no stranger to lake effect snow and is expected to receive slightly less than the Syracuse area, with accumulation closer to two feet.

Chicago saw a couple of inches of snow Wednesday morning as the arctic blast blew south. While the snowfall was brief, the city braced for extreme cold and wind chills that could feel like -25 degree Fahrenheit at their worst.

While too far from any lakes for this round of snowfall, East Coasters from Washington, DC through New York City to Boston can expect the feel the coldest temperatures yet this season by Thursday as the arctic blast reaches south then blows northeastward.