Brutal Arctic Blast Threatens Northeast with Life-Threatening Cold
The eastern United States is bracing for what forecasters are calling the coldest weekend of the winter, as an Arctic air mass descends upon the region. More than 100 million people in the northeastern quarter of the nation are under threat of dangerously low temperatures and hazardous wind chills, with conditions expected to deteriorate rapidly beginning Friday night, .
“A brutally cold weekend awaits more than 100 million people in the northeastern quarter of the nation as Arctic air lunges southward straight from eastern Canada,” said AccuWeather senior meteorologist Alex Sosnowski. Temperatures are predicted to plummet into the single digits or below zero across much of the Northeast, with dozens of daily record cold temperatures potentially broken on and .
The cold snap is being driven by a lobe of the polar vortex, a swirling mass of cold air typically confined to the Arctic, that has dipped southward. A fast-moving Alberta clipper will cross the region Friday night, bringing light snow before an Arctic cold front sweeps through. Behind the front, a deep trough over the eastern U.S. Will allow frigid air from central Canada to spill south.
Extreme Cold and Dangerous Wind Chills
The National Weather Service warns of dangerously cold wind chills, potentially reaching as low as minus 30 degrees Fahrenheit across the interior Northeast and New England. In New York City and Long Island, wind chills are expected to be around 15 below zero, while inland areas could experience wind chills of 15 to 20 below zero. These conditions pose a life-threatening risk of hypothermia and frostbite to exposed skin.
Daytime temperatures will struggle to rise above the teens and single digits. While record-low temperatures are unlikely, parts of the state could challenge record low maximum temperatures on Sunday, with another bitter morning possible early Monday.
Damaging Winds and Snow Squall Potential
In addition to the extreme cold, strong winds, with gusts potentially exceeding 50 mph, are expected to exacerbate the dangerous wind chills. These winds could also cause isolated tree damage and power outages, particularly across the southern and central Appalachians, Mid-Atlantic, and Interior Northeast. Brief periods of intense snowfall, including snow squalls and blowing snow, are also possible with the arrival of the cold air on and .
Safety Precautions
Officials urge residents to take immediate precautions to protect themselves from the extreme cold. NOAA recommends having a cold-weather survival kit if traveling, limiting time outdoors, and covering exposed skin. This proves also crucial to ensure pets and livestock have adequate protection from the cold. Residents are advised to take steps to prevent frozen pipes and avoid walking on frozen bodies of water where ice thickness is uncertain.
“This weekend could feature the coldest air of the whole winter in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic,” said Washington Post meteorologist Ben Noll.
When Will the Cold Ease?
While the Arctic blast is expected to peak this weekend, some relief is on the horizon. Forecasters predict a warming trend will begin by the middle of next week, though specific timing remains uncertain. The Weather Prediction Center indicated that relief and a warming trend are forecast to commence by the middle of next week.
