The first day of 2015 will be a cold one for much of the nation as an arctic air mass gobbles up more and more territory. As that happens, some places will see rare holiday snowfall in the Southwest.

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(MORE: Arctic Cold Returns to End 2014 | Winter Storm Frona: Vegas Snow?)

A strong shot of cold air plunged into the Northern Plains and Rockies and the below-average temperatures pushed south and east into the Southwest, Southern Plains, Midwest, and gave a glancing blow to the Northeast.

Here's the forecast for your New Year's Day plans.

(MORE: Expert Analysis | Winter Storm Central)

Thursday (New Year's Day)

Unsettled weather will persist in the Four Corners region into New Year's Day, mostly in the form of snow showers over the mountains. Rain, perhaps with a few embedded thunderstorms, will increase in the South from Texas into Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and western Tennessee; the rain may fall as freezing rain or drizzle over parts of western and northern Texas, Oklahoma and the Ozarks causing slick roads. Otherwise, much of the country will see dry conditions once again, with the exception of the Upper Midwest, Great Lakes, and the high country of northern New England where a few pockets of snow are possible.

High temperatures will still be chilly, but less cold than on Wednesday for most of the country, with the exception of the Great Basin, Southwest and Southern Plains, where highs will still be 10 to 25 degrees below average. Temperatures should at least rise to the freezing mark for the cities along the Northeastern coast, as well as for parts of the Ohio Valley and Central Plains. Central and South Florida will continue to enjoy high temperatures in the 70s to start 2015.

(FORECAST: Philadelphia | Tampa | Chicago | Los Angeles)

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