The first full week of 2015 is getting off to a chilly, snowy start.

A strong, fast-moving winter storm is expected to hit the region Monday, bringing 3 to 5 inches of snow to the Austin area, according to the National Weather Service Monday morning. Snow is expected to accumulate quickly with rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour during the storm’s peak around 3 p.m. and late evening. The heaviest snow is expected Monday between 6 p.m. and midnight.

“It looks like kind of mid-afternoon the snow should spread in,” Meteorologist Todd Shea said.

He said the 3 to 5 inches of snow will hit in the Austin, Albert Lea and Preston area, down toward the state line. People will see less snow as they head north and more as they head south.

Accumulations of 5 to 7 inches are possible in portions of northeast Iowa. Shea said the snow should be finished by Tuesday.

The weather service warned of quickly deteriorating road conditions and issued a winter weather advisory from 3 p.m. Monday to 3 a.m. Tuesday.

A wind chill advisory expired at noon Monday after temperatures dropped to 11 below zero overnight. Wind chills Monday morning reached 30 below in Austin and 37 below in Dexter, according to weather service readings.

But it’s only supposed to get colder by mid-week.

“There’s going to be quite a combination of advisories and warnings out throughout the week,” Shea said.

A high of 2 is expected Tuesday and temperatures are expected to drop to minus 6 overnight. After a high of 3 degrees Tuesday, temperatures should drop to minus 15 overnight. Wednesday’s high is forecasted at 8 below zero with an overnight low of minus 16.

Wind chills could bottom out at 20 to 40 below zero on Tuesday and Wednesday nights. Shea said there could be wind chills down to negative 20 in the area on Tuesday morning, and by Wednesday morning daybreak the wind chills will hit negative 30 to 45 degrees.

“Overall Wednesday looks like our coldest day,” he said.

He added, “We urge people to check ahead and plan their activities away from the coldest time periods.”

Blowing snow is possible throughout the week, especially Tuesday. During the day Tuesday, winds are forecasted at 7 to 15 mph with 25 mph gusts, but winds are expected to increase to 15 to 18 mph winds with 34 mph gusts that evening.

Coldest wind chills Sunday to Monday

Black River Falls: -38

Dexter: -37

Grand Meadow: -35

Rochester: -31

Austin: -30

—Source: National Weather Service