A polar vortex is slated to sweep most of the continental US bringing winter storm warnings and a hazardous freeze to millions.

The watch is in effect from Monday evening through Tuesday afternoon. Heavy accumulations of sleet and snow are possible.

Southeast Texas' outlook for next week's winter storm continues to worsen, with a growing likelihood of a deep freeze and substantial wintry precipitation, snow and sleet in the Houston area. Space City Weather's Eric Berger published an atypical afternoon report on Friday warning of an "increasingly likely" and drastic mix of hard freeze and snowy conditions expected in Southeast Texas early next week.

A rare winter storm is expected to bring heavy snow, sleet and freezing rain to Florida, Texas and other parts of the South next week. While some uncertainty remains over exactly how much snow will fall,