Alton Zenker feeds calves on his ranch Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2013, north of Carson, N.D., as an arctic blast swept across the Northern Plains. Thursdays projected high is minus-6, falling to minus-10 by Saturday, with overnight lows to 24 below as a major winter storm bulldozed from the Rockies eastward. The National Weather Service forecast a foot or more of snow in some areas of the Upper Midwest, with freezing rain possible for parts of the Great Lakes.

Kevin Cederstrom / AP Photo

Alton Zenker feeds calves on his ranch Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2013, north of Carson, N.D., as an arctic blast swept across the Northern Plains. Thursdays projected high is minus-6, falling to minus-10 by Saturday, with overnight lows to 24 below as a major winter storm bulldozed from the Rockies eastward. The National Weather Service forecast a foot or more of snow in some areas of the Upper Midwest, with freezing rain possible for parts of the Great Lakes.