Around 53 million people from South Dakota to New York are under winter weather alerts this weekend as travelers head home from Thanksgiving festivities.

Black ice, snow showers and fog pestered post-holiday travelers in the Midwest on Monday while the Northeast geared up for its first major snowstorm of the season.

A dry storm system sweeping into Southwest California is expected to deliver several days of strong winds and bitterly cold temperatures across Los Angeles and Ventura counties this week, according to...