A major winter storm that has created chaos from the Midwest to the Northeast will slam Boston and southern New England with heavy snow tonight. A second storm will follow close behind this weekend, while a blast of arctic air and a third storm will cross the country in the days leading up to Christmas.

The Winter Weather Center reports that the storm that has paralyzed the Midwest has moved into the East. Snow was falling heavily over much of central and southern New England Friday evening.

The Severe Weather Center lists the storm-related warnings and advisories in effect .

Ice early Friday had coated roads, trees and power lines across northern Illinois and Indiana, while heavy snow fell north of the Chicagoland area.

The East Regional News story reports up to a foot of snow through tonight will fall over portions of New England.

Heavy snow in Boston fell before the afternoon commute began, while strong winds this evening could create near-blizzard conditions.

The dividing line between the snow and the rain was along Long Island Sound Friday evening as snow fell at the rate of close to an inch per hour along much of the South Coast and as far north as northern Massachusetts.

This is a fast moving storm. The snow will fall over a 6 to 9 hour time frame. According to Expert Senior Meteorologist John Kocet, "By Saturday morning, there will only be some leftover light snow in New England after the storm moves over the Atlantic Ocean."

The storm ground road and air travel in the Midwest to a virtual standstill Friday and is now affecting airports in the Northeast.

Pedestrians navigate slush and snow as they make their way through downtown Chicago Friday, Dec. 19, 2008. (AP Photo/M. Spencer Green)

General Mitchell Airport in Milwaukee was closed most of Friday. Associated Press reports more than 300 flights were canceled Friday at O'Hare International and Midway airports in Chicago.

In addition to long flight delays, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey reports hundreds of flights have been canceled at Newark, LaGuardia and JFK airports in New York City. Lengthy delays grounded travelers at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, Philadelphia International Airport and Pearson International Airport in Toronto.

The FAA Flight Delay map has the latest travel information for airline passengers.

Illinois officials Friday pleaded with people to stay home. Tens of thousands of homes and businesses in Illinois and northern Indiana are without power. Schools were closed Friday from the Midwest across the Northeast into New England.

The storm departing the Northeast and a second storm crossing the Plains on Saturday could hurt the bottom line of struggling retailers. The so-called "Super Saturday," the last major day of holiday shopping, can account for 5 percent of all holiday sales.

The Midwest Regional News story reports the next storm will cross the northern Plains and the Upper Midwest before pushing across the Great Lakes into the Northeast this weekend.

As much as six inches of new snow will fall this weekend from Minnesota into upstate New York. The storm will intensify in the Northeast, with a foot of snow possible from the Hudson Valley in New York into northern New England.

The storm system will open the door for the arrival of another air mass from high in the Arctic. Temperatures this weekend will plunge across the Plains. AccuWeather.com RealFeel® temperatures will be much colder.

Winter storm, blizzard and wind chill watches, warnings and advisories are in effect from Montana to Nebraska and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

The extreme cold could cause hypothermia or frostbite to anyone exposed to the cold for even short periods of time. Motorists and anyone who will be outdoors should be prepared for life-threatening conditions.

The storm on Thursday slammed across the Northwest and the Intermountain West. The West Regional News story reports record snow fell across Washington on Thursday.

Spokane received almost two feet, including 10.8 inches on Thursday that shattered the previous daily record of 8.3 inches that had stood since 1951. Associated Press reports that the 19.4 inches of snow that had fallen at Spokane International Airport Thursday morning was the most in a 24-hour period since record keeping began in 1881.

Six inches of snow was reported just two miles south-southwest of Seattle, while as much as 3 feet of snow fell in the mountains of Montana and Idaho, including 37.5 inches in Coeur D'alene, Idaho.

Icy surfaces in Seattle Friday afternoon may have played a role in an accident involving two buses. The front end of one of the buses wound up dangling precariously over a lane of a below-ground level portion of Interstate 5.

The cold air this weekend will spread through the Northwest. Snow Saturday night and Sunday will spread from the coastal areas of Washington and Oregon to the interiors of both states. Up to 6 inches of snow will fall on top of an existing heavy base of snow in low elevations near the coast and east of the Cascades, while the mountains receive 1 to 2 feet of new snow.

The storm moving into the Northwest this weekend will reach the East by Christmas Eve day, with rain likely to cause some travel problems east of the Mississippi River. A shallow layer of cold air could leave to an ice storm over parts of the interior Northeast.