The latest snow storm of the year is expected to be quick but powerful.

Winter storm Janis will clip the northeastern states on Tuesday -- dumping up to a foot in some areas -- and then it will drift off into the Atlantic Ocean on Wednesday.

Unlike many other winter storms that tend to cover entire masses of areas, this one will only touch certain cities -- all at different times, according to The Weather Channel meteorologist Stephanie Abrams.

"By noontime, this snowstorm is definitely into Washington D.C.," Abrams said. "By the rush hour drive it'll be into Connecticut, New Jersey, New York. Just leave early and know it's going to be a mess."

In addition to the snowy conditions, we will also be dealing with some chilly temperatures yet again. Temperatures are expected to be as low as ten degrees in New York City on Tuesday night - a sharp dip in comparison with the recent temperatures that have been much warmer ever since the Christmastime chill that kept people indoors for almost a week. Snowfall estimates in the Big Apple seem to range between 5 and 11 inches of snow.

From Washington, D.C., The Weather Channel meteorologist Jim Cantore said that "everybody's shutting down" in major cities that will be affected by the storm. He said he is worried about the potential damage that could be done if people don't prepare.

"What I'm worried about is the fact we have a lot of mass transit still running now. If just one of those buses jack-knives on the road and you have a massive problem and backups with snow removal, which is going to be a big deal here."

Are you in one of these cities? Make sure to check your local weather to see if you will be affected by the wintry weather.