ARLINGTON, Va. − A wall of snow, ice and rain was sweeping across the Northeast on Thursday, the first in a series of storms forecast to wallop much of the nation's northern tier over the next several days.

Sign up for the Morning Brief email newsletter to get weekday updates from The Weather Channel and our meteorologists.A​ winter storm covered cities in ice and snow, shut down schools, snarled air travel and made for a dicey commute along major metropolitan corridors from the Midwest into the Northeast Thursday.

A powerful ice storm is set to affect the Midwest and Northeast of the U.S., bringing treacherous conditions, including freezing rain, sleet and potential power outages. Meteorologists warn that travel disruptions and hazardous road conditions will be widespread from Wednesday into Thursday.