The US is experiencing one of the biggest snowstorms since 1950 affecting a total of 30 states. Cities like Milwaukee, St. Louis and Kansas City are expected to be hit the hardest. Satellites from NASA have been constantly monitoring details about the storm that stretches from Texas and the Rockies to the New England states.
NASA's Aqua and Terra satellites have been providing visible, infrared and microwave looks at the storm system's clouds, precipitation, temperatures and extent.
This image, captured by NASA’s GOES-13 satellite, shows the storm on February 1, 2011 indicating an area of low pressure from the Colorado Rockies and Texas east to New England.

A second satellite image created at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt shows snow on the ground from Pennsylvania into the New England states, while the large area of clouds associated with the storm lie to the west. The data was taken from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) that flies aboard NASA's Terra satellite.

On Sunday, the National Weather Service had issued an emergency blizzard warning stating that over 18 inches of snow are expected to impact portions of Northern Illinois and Northwest Indiana.
The two-staged storm which has hit parts of the US has led to cancellations of a number of flights operating in the area. In their discussions about the deadly storm, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration stated that it was “"one of the worst this season with blizzard conditions throughout much of the Midwest states, severe ice accretion from the middle Mississippi River valley eastward through parts of the Ohio Valley and into southern New England and heavy rain and severe thunderstorms over the deep south."

Rush-hour traffic crawls as blowing snow batters Lake Shore Drive in Chicago. The two-staged storm which has already hit parts of the US has led to cancellations of a number of flights operating in the area.

People brace against the cold and blowing snow as they cross a street. On Tuesday, extreme cold temperatures were forecast for much of the state.