A blast of Arctic air has gripped much of the central and eastern United States, plunging temperatures well below normal for this time of year and setting records from Iowa to New York. The intense cold began sweeping through the region on Thursday, bringing temperatures as much as 20 degrees Fahrenheit below average. Meteorologist Marc Chenard from the U.S. Weather Prediction Center in Washington, D.C., stated that this cold snap is expected to persist in waves over the next week or two, making it the most significant chill of the season.
“This cold air is spilling into the central and eastern parts of the country, coming down from the Arctic,” Chenard explained. The deep freeze extends from the northern Plains through the Great Lakes and into the Ohio Valley, reaching as far as the mid-Atlantic and New England. Interestingly, forecast models suggest that even the Southeast, while still above freezing, may experience a dip in temperatures.
Local weather reports indicate the potential for freezing fog in states like Indiana and Oklahoma, creating hazardous conditions that could lead to black ice on roadways. On Thursday alone, numerous locations across Iowa and parts of Wisconsin and Minnesota recorded benchmark low temperatures. Iowa has a long history of weather tracking, dating back to 1895, and it accounted for many of the day’s record lows. The prairie town of Spencer, for instance, experienced an unprecedented low of minus-19 degrees Fahrenheit, smashing the previous record of minus-9 degrees set in 2005.
In Detroit, temperatures dropped to a record low of 5 degrees above zero on Friday morning, surpassing the previous record by a single degree. New York City’s airports, including John F. Kennedy and LaGuardia, both registered lows of 20 degrees, either setting or tying their respective records. Further north, upstate New York recorded an alarming minus-22 degrees, one-upping the previous record low of minus-20.
In addition to this unseasonable cold snap, the National Weather Service forecasts snow in various parts of the mid-Atlantic, Midwest, and Rockies through Saturday. A storm system crossing the northern Plains and Midwest may bring heavy snow at times, complicating travel and outdoor activities.
Chenard noted that this frigid weather pattern is a result of a fluctuation in the clockwise circulation of polar air-for instance, what’s termed the polar vortex-that has allowed icy air from Canada to spill into the northern tier of the United States. The official start of winter is still more than two weeks away, yet the current conditions are already resembling a deep winter freeze.
As communities brace for the ongoing cold, residents are advised to take precautions against the severe weather conditions. This Arctic blast serves as a stark reminder of the unpredictable nature of seasonal shifts and the challenges that often accompany them. Stay tuned for updates as this cold front continues to impact weather patterns across a significant portion of the country.
Original Source: https://www.livemint.com/news/us-news/us-weather-update-arctic-blast-grips-as-cold-snap-hits-record-chill-stretches-from-plains-to-mid-atlantic-new-england-11764980981727.html
Category :
Tags:
Publish Date: 2025-12-06 06:19:00
