A polar vortex is expected to bring snow and ice to 26 states and D.C., threatening travel with blizzard conditions and record-low temperatures.

Several states across the U.S. are under alert as the new storm system approaches. Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Missouri have severe weather alerts in effect through Friday, January 10. Meanwhile, Tennessee, northern Alabama, and parts of Indiana and Kentucky will remain under warnings through Saturday.

Nearly two-dozen states were under winter weather warnings from the National Weather Service as of early Monday.

The pattern had been predicted to form for several months, and weak La Niña conditions were finally officially met this week.

Nearly the entire state of Arkansas is under a winter storm warning until Friday night. Little Rock and Hot Springs are expecting around 6 inches of snow, with meteorologists urging people to delay any travel until conditions improve.

Parts of Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas began to see snowfall on Thursday as Southern states stretching to the Carolinas brace for the storm to reach them on Friday.

A “significant Arctic outbreak” of cold air will cover large swaths of the U.S. starting this weekend, with frigid conditions anticipated to last into mid-January.

The developing storm system is forecast to bring heavy snow, crippling ice and severe weather across the country through the next three days.

With one storm safely out to sea, attention turns to the next system that's forecast to spread a wintry mess from Texas to the East Coast this week.

The new year is ushering in a major winter storm across a wide swath of the United States, blasting large regions of the country with heavy snow and dangerous ice. 60 million people are under weather

Another massive winter storm is forecast to pummel the southern and eastern U.S., with impacts from Texas to the Carolinas.

Oil prices rose more than 1% on Thursday as cold weather gripped parts of the United States and Europe, boosting winter fuel demand.