The U.S. Great Lakes region remains under winter weather alerts affecting five million people due to ongoing lake-effect snow, with up to five feet recorded in parts of New York. The severe weather, marked by temperatures 10-20 degrees below normal, is expected to persist through the week. Emergency declarations are active in New York and Pennsylvania, urging residents to avoid travel. Hazardous conditions have already led to rescues, including a heart transplant patient stranded in snow. Local authorities mobilize resources as whiteout conditions and bitter cold create significant challenges across the region.