After slushy snow froze overnight, Bob Gerber, a bartender in Worcester, Massachusetts, used his shovel more as a pick axe than a scoop on Wednesday.

Arctic air and low temperatures are hitting parts of the United States this week, bringing freezing cold conditions to the north central, northern and eastern regions of the country.

Those cold temperatures could persist through the first half of the month, extending a December that has been filled with extreme winter weather so far, including snow that blanketed parts of the country.

"The outbreak this week will be the first of probably three such rounds with it. Another cold blast is likely next week and a third the week after that," AccuWeather Lead Long-Range Meteorologist Paul Pastelok said on their website. "The waves of Arctic air will lead to significant surges in energy demands."

Sections of the Midwest received multiple inches of snow during Thanksgiving weekend before being ushered into the arctic air.

With the potential for more freezing temperatures on the way, here are photos of the cold that's already hit the United States.

See the impact of wintry cold across the US

USA TODAY's Dinah Voyles Pulver contributed to this report.

Kate Perez covers national trends and breaking news for USA TODAY. You can reach her at kperez@usatodayco.com or on Twitter @katecperez_.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: See photos of arctic blast impacting the Midwest and Northeast

Reporting by Kate Perez, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect