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.

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 blowing in from the Great Lakes has blanketed parts of Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York, stranding hundreds of vehicles on roads and snarling post-Thanksgiving travel. Well over two feet of snow had fallen in many parts of the region by early Monday,

Heavy snow slammed the Great Lakes region during Thanksgiving weekend, clogging communities with several feet of snow.

Heavy snowfall will continue to bury portions of the Northeast and upper Midwest this week as officials warn of travel impacts and dangerous conditions. The Great Lakes region, which has been receiving lake effect snow since late last week,