Cold Temperatures and Snowfall Expected as Arctic Air Shifts South

The eastern United States is set to face extremely cold weather as a polar vortex moves across the region in the coming days. Temperatures are predicted to remain well below average for the southeastern states and East Coast through mid-January. Areas along the Gulf of Mexico and Florida may also experience freezing conditions.

Meteorologists are forecasting significant snowfall in the Great Lakes area and the Appalachian Mountains, accompanied by dangerously cold wind chills. The polar vortex, a large mass of cold air circulating around the Arctic, can shift and expand, pushing colder temperatures further south than normal. Weather models from the independent forecaster Atmospheric and Environmental Research predict that the polar vortex will stretch over the US during the first two weeks of January, bringing unusually low temperatures to the eastern US.

The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued warnings, stating that the coldest air of the season could reach the southeast, with dangerous wind chills likely. Some areas, including parts of Texas and Georgia, could experience temperatures as low as -8°C (18°F) on Tuesday night. In the northern regions, temperatures could plunge even further, with northern Minnesota forecast to reach a chilling -25°C.

Although long-range predictions are difficult, the NWS expects the coldest period to occur around the end of the second week of January. Along with the cold, heavy snow is expected to stretch from the Great Lakes region to parts of the central and eastern US, with snowfall possibly reaching as far south as Texas. While significant snow accumulation is not anticipated for the southeast, the NWS warns that these areas are often unprepared for snow, potentially leading to higher impacts.

The agency forecasts an average of two inches of snow during this time. In 2022, a similar Arctic storm caused widespread disruption, with power outages affecting 1.5 million homes and a temporary halt in oil production across the Gulf Coast. The combination of snow and cold temperatures could also bring dangerous wind chills of -29°C to -34°C in northern areas, posing a risk of frostbite on exposed skin within just 30 minutes.