A major winter storm has taken aim at the Rockies and Midwest, even as the East Coast is set to enjoy usually warm weather.
Dubbed Winter Storm Jaxon by the Weather Channel, the storm had already dumped a foot of snow on Salt Lake City by noon on Saturday, and was expected to pummel Denver on Sunday.
In Park City, 30 miles east of Salt Lake City, nine inches of snow fell on the Sundance Film Festival, where demonstrators huddled in the cold to protest President Donald Trump and hip hop performer Common was spotted hurling a snowball.
It was not all fun and games though, with the storm expected to create significant impacts on parts of I-15, I-70 and I-80 in Utah on Saturday.
Park City, Utah resident Ron Butkovich uses a snowblower to clear a sidewalk during the Saturday. Nine inches of snow fell on the area as a winter storm pummeled the area and is forecast to hit Denver on Sunday
Hip hop artist and actor Common throws a snowball during the 2018 Sundance Film Festival on Saturday in Park City, Utah
Demonstrators attend the Respect Rally Park City during the 2018 Sundance Film Festival on Saturday in Park City, Utah
Moving into Sunday, Denver is forecast to see its biggest snowfall of the season so far with six to seven inches
Snow is forecast in the Minneapolis/St. Paul metro area, northwest Wisconsin and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula
Moving into Sunday, Denver is forecast to see its biggest snowfall of the season so far with six to seven inches. The city is under a winter storm warning through Sunday evening.
Some locations outside of Denver could see one foot of snow. Winds will also be a concern, with gusts up to 40 mph forecast.
The storm will hit Denver just after the region saw temperatures in the 60s and 70s on Friday, breaking records highs.
A winter storm warning is in effect from parts of Nevada, central Wyoming, northeastern Colorado, central Nebraska and northwestern Kansas.
Salt Lake City was walloped with snowfall on Saturday, with a foot of snow falling by 11am local time on Saturday
Backyard scenes show the heavy snow accumulation in Salt Lake City, which saw at least a foot of snow
By Tuesday, the remnants of the storm are expected to bring rain and snow to the mid-Atlantic and New England
‘Blizzard conditions are forecast across many states from the Rockies to the Upper Midwest,’ the National Weather Service said in a flash bulletin.
‘Travel will be difficult, if not impossible, in these areas due to heavy snow combined with these strong winds.’
In the Minneapolis/St. Paul metro area, northwest Wisconsin and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, winter storm watches are in effect.
In those areas, treacherous driving conditions are possible late in the weekend and early into the week.
The freezing weather and snow has transformed Whihala Beach Park in Chicago, Illionis into a winter wonderland
A deep freeze in Chicago left much of the region at a standstill. Pictured: Whihala Beach Park in Chicago on Saturday
Trees, garbage cans and and wallks are covered in thick ice at Whihala Beach Park in Chicago thanks to the deep freeze
Meanwhile, above average temperatures are forecast for much of the east coast on Sunday. Temperatures are expected to be 10 to 20 degrees above average in the region.
Boston expects to see a high of 44 on Sunday, with highs of 49 in New York and 55 in Washington DC.
By Monday and Tuesday, however, the remnants of Jaxon are expected to bring rain to the mid-Atlantic and snow to New England.
Actress Kathryn Hahn, lower right, in pink hat and beige coat, reacts among others in the snow at the Respect Rally Park City during the 2018 Sundance Film Festival on Saturday