Snow, cold temps likely by midweek

A large winter weather system is expected to sweep into the Cape Girardeau area late today and into Wednesday, possibly dumping up to 4 inches of snow by sunrise Wednesday.

The system is likely to track from Louisiana to the Great Lakes on Wednesday and Thursday, bringing rain and snow for much of the United States from the Mississippi Valley eastward.

Some areas of the country may get up to 8 inches of snow as the system moves through, with the largest amounts falling along the Ohio River, according to the National Weather Service in Paducah, Ky.

The system will bring a drop in temperature with the possibility of single-digit lows on Christmas in Southeast Missouri. Temperatures will be low enough that the snow will probably remain on the ground through Christmas.