Frigid blast of weather headed to the Midwest and East bringing snow and an early taste of winter

It will feel more like Christmastime in certain regions, signaling a shift in weather patterns and the first snowfall of the season

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A major shift in the weather pattern will unfold this weekend and early next week across the central and eastern United States, bringing a surge of cold air and the potential for the first widespread snow of the season in some areas. AccuWeather meteorologists say one storm could produce a band of accumulating snow across parts of the Midwest, followed by lake-effect snow and even a touch of snow in portions of the Appalachians farther south.

Christmastime cold coming

"Temperatures will feel more like mid-December or even Christmastime in many places by next week," AccuWeather Lead Long-Range Meteorologist Paul P