A significant arctic cold front is set to impact over 200 million Americans, bringing even lower temperatures than before.
Fifteen states might record lows in the 30s or below in the coming days, with many areas facing several days of sub-freezing weather on Thursday and Friday.
Already, millions are experiencing the harsh cold from a polar vortex spreading across the nation.
A disturbance in the vortex causes it to lose strength, which pushes frigid air southward into Canada and the U.S.
This situation, along with the effects of a La Niña winter, has created December temperatures that feel more like early February.
The impending arctic air is expected to be harsher than what many experienced on Monday. There was already a cold weather alert in northern Montana, where wind chills dropped temperatures into the 20s and 30s.
The FOX Weather Center indicates that this fresh arctic air will start moving across the country today, leading to cooler temperatures.
The coldest conditions will linger in the Highlands and Upper Midwest, with many places remaining at or below freezing. Cities like Chicago and Minneapolis are unlikely to rise above freezing this week.
As Thursday and Friday approach, the weather is predicted to grow colder, with an influx of more intense arctic air. Temperatures are expected to plummet as the situation unfolds.
The Midwest will see particularly frigid weather on Thursday, with forecasts indicating temperatures in the teens and below freezing. Iowa is poised to potentially break records for the lowest temperatures in cities like Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Sioux City, and Waterloo.
Then by Friday, the cold front’s center may move along I-95, potentially pushing record lows in cities like Pittsburgh, New York, Indianapolis, and Baltimore.
Mornings in the Midwest and Great Lakes could reveal single-digit temperatures, while areas along I-95 might only reach the low 20s—15 to 25 degrees below the average for this time of year.
In total, over 40 record low temperatures might occur across the northern regions on Thursday and Friday, with below-average temperatures likely persisting in several areas until mid-December.
