Arctic Blast Brings Record-Breaking Low Temperatures Across the US
An arctic blast is causing record-breaking low temperatures across the U.S., with most of the country experiencing subzero temperatures. Cold weather advisories have been issued for northern New England and parts of the East Coast. The extreme cold has prompted Washington D.C. to activate an Extreme Cold Alert, with overnight temperatures expected to drop as low as 20 degrees with a wind chill.
What is an Extreme Cold Alert?
An Extreme Cold Alert occurs when the National Weather Service (NWS) predicts temperatures that will pose an immediate risk to residents. This alert is issued when the temperature is expected to drop below a certain threshold, putting vulnerable populations such as the elderly, young children, and those with certain medical conditions at risk.
According to the National Weather Service, around 180 million Americans are in the middle of an arctic blast, which is causing extreme freezing temperatures. As of Thursday, most of the country had record lows and is expected to set more tomorrow.
Arctic blast outlook Tuesday through Saturday
(FOX Weather / FOX Weather)
Polar Vortex and La Niña Winter
Millions of Americans have already felt portions of this bitter arctic air from the Polar Vortex sweeping across the U.S. When there is a disruption in the Vortex, it becomes weak and pushes colder air south towards Canada and the U.S. On top of a La Niña winter, this has caused typical temperatures for early February to appear in December.
People walking through heavy snow in Chicago on Saturday.
(Robert Ray / FOX Weather)
Record-Breaking Temperatures
This new wave of Arctic air has already brought colder temperatures than what most of the country saw on Monday, where a Cold Weather Advisory was in effect for northern Montana and wind chills caused it to feel 20 to 30 degrees below zero.
Temperature lows in the Midwest after the arctic blast on Monday, Dec. 1
(FOX Weather / FOX Weather)
Many areas will stay at or below freezing, as the coldest air will linger over the High Plains and Upper Midwest, leaving cities like Chicago and Minneapolis to likely not climb above freezing for the duration of the week.
Current temperatures in the Central U.S.
(FOX Weather / FOX Weather)
Future Outlook
By Friday, the heart of the cold will expand to the I-95 corridor, where more record lows may fall across cities like Pittsburgh, New York, Indianapolis, and Baltimore. Morning temperatures across the Midwest and Great Lakes will be in the single digits, while the I-95 corridor will reach the upper 20s, making it 15 to 25 degrees below average for this time of year.
As we near peak season for lake-effect snow, there’s hardly an ice coverage on the Great Lakes, but that’s about to change as single-digit temperatures settle in with an arctic blast. FOX Weather Meteorologist Jane Minar explains how ice coverage impacts lake-effect snow.
In total, over 40 record low temperatures are possible across the Northern Tier for both today and Friday, and below-average temperatures are expected to remain in some regions through mid-December. For more information, visit Here
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