A powerful winter storm hit mainland from the Pacific Ocean and brought up to 2 feet of snow and icy winds with it to make the traveling a nightmare for those who aren’t spending their holidays at home.

All across the northern half of the United States, the storm brought snow, sleet and freezing rain to make driving a very risky adventure. Interstate 90 in Oregon and Interstate 84 in Washington were closed due to the traitorous weather conditions. There was no indication from authorities on how long the highways would be closed.

"It is extremely dangerous to be on the roads at this time," said Multnomah County Deputy Paul McRedmond, sheriff's spokesman, The Associated Press reported.

The heavy snow is expected to continue to pour in the following days. Weather forecasters predict 4 to 8 inches of snow in the Seattle region, while Oregon could get as much as 10 inches of snow.

There is some news of improvement: the wind is expected to lose some speed.  

The storm, which settled in right on the first official day of winter, was the third major cold-weather system to hit the United States in two days.

In some regions, the weather was “extreme,” even for this time of the year when winter is far from moderate. In Bismarck, North Dakota, the December total snowfall nearly equaled the 19.3-inch mark for of all last winter, according to the Weather Center.

"For several years we haven't had an aggressive winter like this," said Weather Service meteorologist Joshua Scheck.