Pittsburgh – After being drenched this week, the Northeast will be hit by a sharp drop in temperatures, creating deep-freezing conditions that will make Thursday's commute icy and dangerous.
Heavy rain fell across the Northeast on Wednesday, with highs in the 50s and 60s in parts of New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Connecticut.
By Thursday morning, most of these areas will experience temperatures above freezing to in the 20s, creating a so-called deep freeze.
FOX Weather meteorologist Craig Herrera explains why this can create dangerous conditions outdoors.
“When this happens, you basically go from above freezing to below freezing in a matter of hours. And all the water that's on the roads, the rain that's left, and maybe some of the slush, freezes just as quickly.” said Herrera. “It's pretty dangerous, especially if you're driving or walking. You can even walk out your front door. You have a small driveway or sidewalk. It can get icy.”
Places like Scranton, Pennsylvania, could experience these conditions Thursday morning, with temperatures below freezing by bedtime Wednesday and dropping to 29 degrees by Thursday morning.
With wind chill, 29 degrees will feel like the teens.
According to the FOX Prediction Center, deep freeze events are most common after a strong cold front and rapid temperature drop.
