monster winter storm that could bring ice, blizzard conditions, and travel disruptions – and will stretch 2,600 miles from coast to coast – was moving eastward Tuesday. Swaths of the country could see over a foot of snow in the coming days, and parts of Minnesota are expecting 15 to 25 inches of accumulation. The National Weather Service in Twin Cities called the winter storm "historic" and said significant snow accumulation is expected to last until Thursday.

"There is a high probability that Minneapolis will pick up 18 inches of snow or more from the storm," AccuWeather meteorologist Matt Benz said.

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Tuesday evening, Wyoming closed 100 miles of Interstate 80 due to blizzard conditions. The road, a major east-west corridor, will be closed for six to eight hours, the state department of transportation said on Twitter.

By Tuesday afternoon the wind chill temperature dipped below zero degrees Fahrenheit near Minneapolis, and interstates began to fill with snow in western Minnesota, the National Weather Service said. 

The massive cold front made its way through most of Montana by midday Tuesday, and residents in the Northern Plains were bracing for steep temperatures drops.

In Rapid City, South Dakota, the weather service warned residents Tuesday morning that temperatures would quickly drop from a high of 50 degrees to near zero degreesover the next 24 hours. 

Roads were closed near Lewis and Clark National Forest in Montana on Tuesday morning as snow fell and wind gusts reached nearly 40 miles per hour, according to the state department of transportation.  

Record-breaking cold temperatures could also hit the West, the National Weather Service’s Weather Prediction Center said. Those readings could extend from the West Coast to the northern Plains later this week. Flash freezes are possible in the northern Rockies, officials warned. 

Here’s what you need to know about Tuesday’s winter weather.

WHAT IS THUNDERSNOW AND HOW DOES IT FORM? Explaining how a thunderstorm can produce snow

Day-by-day forecast

• Wednesday: Heavy snow will spread eastward into the Upper Midwest and Great Lakes region, according to the weather service.
• Thursday: Sleet and freezing rain are expected to reach parts of the Northeast including Buffalo, New York, where there could be significant impacts, according to AccuWeather. Parts of Pennsylvania, New York and Massachusetts could also see some of the storm's effects.

  'Historic' winter storm to bring rounds of snow in Minnesota

  The National Weather Service in Twin Cities, Minnesota warned that the "historic" three-day storm will bring blowing and drifting snow mainly from Wednesday to Thursday.Two main rounds of snow are expected with a "lull" and lighter snow in between, according to the weather service. The first round arrived Tuesday and is expected to end Wednesday morning, the weather service said.