Freezing Washington awaits Turnbull

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull will need to have his best winter woollies on when he arrives in Washington for an official visit.

The US capital had its first snow for the winter on the eve of Mr Turnbull's arrival.

Fortunately a ghastly wind chill factor will be offset by a warm reception from his American hosts.

The prime minister is set to receive the full bells-and-whistles treatment - including residency at the prestigious Blair House - when he jets in to Washington DC on Monday morning (US time) for his first official visit.

Terrorism, trade and the global economy will dominate Mr Turnbull's two-day agenda in the US.

Mr Turnbull will draw on his whirlwind weekend trip to Afghanistan and Iraq when he meets with US Defense Secretary Ash Carter and security chiefs to discuss the threat of Islamic extremism and progress of military operations.

The prime minister will outline his take on Australian-US relations in a centrepiece keynote speech to the Centre for Strategic and International Studies in the afternoon.

The focus will then shift to finance at a meeting with Federal Reserve chair Janet Yellen and Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew.

Mr Turnbull will hold bilateral talks with President Barack Obama at the White House on Tuesday.