Tens of millions of residents along the East Coast are bracing for several inches of snow Sunday followed by dangerously cold temperatures that will grip much of the country from the Northern Plains to the tip of Maine.

The snow is likely to fall on Sunday from the Appalachians to New England. New York City may see its largest snowfall in years.

"The level and extensiveness of the frigid air may be tough to match the rest of the winter," forecasters warned.