Monday night was the coldest night in nearly two years.

According to the National Weather Service, the overnight low in Lexington, recorded just before 4 a.m. Tuesday, was 10 degrees.

It hasn't been that cold in the region, according to the weather service, since Feb. 10, 2011, when the temperature bottomed out at 3 degrees.

Tuesday night isn't likely to be any colder — or much warmer. The weather service forecasts a low of 11 degrees.

The cause of this freeze is arctic air sliding in from the north.

Tuesday is expected to be sunny and cold with a high near 20. The chill is expected to ease on Wednesday, with a projected high of 30 degrees and a low of 21.

By late in the week, sleet or a wintry mix of precipitation is expected, with Northern Kentucky likely to get snow on Thursday night.