More than 4 million people across five states were under winter storm alerts on Sunday as heavy lake-effect snow continued to bury the Great Lakes region, prompting emergency declarations and the deployment of National Guard troops to rescue stranded motorists.

Lake effect snow is forecast to wallop the already snow-buried Great Lakes region, while much of the continental U.S. will experience below-freezing temperatures over the next few days.

In Erie County, Ohio, a lake-effect snow warning is in place until 7 p.m. on Tuesday. Between 10 and 20 inches of heavy snow accumulations are expected in the north of the county, while between 12 and 24 inches are expected in the south.

Lake effect snow is slamming the Great Lakes, with seven states from Wisconsin to New York under snow alerts on Monday.

Warnings for heavy snow continue until 7 p.m. Tuesday along the shores of Lake Erie.

A lake-effect snow warning remains in place for Erie County through Tuesday, and a lot more snow could fall across Erie County by then.

Lake effect snow south of Buffalo will move northward on Saturday. The band will produce snow rates of 2 to 3" per hour and will get as far north as South Buffalo later on. There will be a sharp cut-off on the northern edge of the band.

Cities near the Great Lakes have seen up to three feet of lake effect snow over the weekend. See how long it will stay in the forecast.

Lake effect snow is slamming the Great Lakes, with seven states from Wisconsin to New York under snow alerts on Monday.

A lake-effect storm continued to blanket parts of the Great Lakes region with snow on Saturday, closing highways on one of the biggest travel weekends of the year and prompting Gov. Kathy Hochul of New York to declare a state of emergency on Friday in 11 counties.