Temperatures are expected to plummet over the weekend, bringing life-threatening conditions to large swathes of the United States.
The polar vortex will bring freezing temperatures to much of the country this weekend and into next week, including two major national events on Monday: President-elect Trump's inauguration and the college football national championship.
The northern part of the country will be the first to experience arctic temperatures starting Friday. The National Weather Service (NWS) says.
Very cold air from the Arctic will flow over Canada and push over the United States Friday night into Saturday morning. The cold air spread across much of the country and could be part of the longest stretch of arctic air in years, with temperatures potentially reaching -40 degrees Celsius. CNN reported.
Snow is expected to start falling downwind of Lake Erie and spread across Western New York starting Thursday. Moderate to heavy snow is expected in the central Appalachians, extending into parts of West Virginia and Pennsylvania.
The central United States and the Rocky Mountains are expected to experience a “real sudden change” of cold fronts, frigid temperatures and frigid cold air by Friday, according to the NWS. Snow showers possible.
The eastern United States is expected to continue experiencing very cold conditions, returning to seasonal averages. A few showers and thunderstorms are possible in the South by Saturday morning near the Gulf Coast.
On the West Coast, the wildfires that devastated Los Angeles are starting to change and conditions are improving.
Subzero temperatures and sunny skies are expected for President Trump's inauguration in Washington, D.C., on Monday. Washington is experiencing bitter cold following the region's biggest snowstorm in years earlier this month.
