Millions in the Midwest, Northeast to Experience Record Cold During First Week of Meteorological Winter

An intense surge of arctic air is expected to sweep across the United States later this week, following the already chilly Thanksgiving period. Meteorologists are forecasting dozens of new daily low-temperature records from the Plains and Midwest to the Northeast on Thursday and Friday mornings.

Cities such as Cedar Rapids and Des Moines in Iowa, along with La Crosse in Wisconsin, are likely to experience record-setting morning lows. Temperatures will not only drop below freezing but could also plunge below zero, with some parts of Iowa potentially hitting double-digit negative readings Thursday morning.

Afternoons wont bring much relief either. More than twelve cities, including areas from Missouri to Michigan, could set record-low high temperatures, with maximums only reaching the teens or low 20s. Forecast maps indicate multiple daily record lows may fall on Thursday and Friday, according to the National Weather Service.

Arrival and Impact

The cold air will begin moving into the Northern Plains and Upper Midwest on Wednesday, with highs in North Dakota and northern Minnesota struggling to reach the single digits. By Thursday morning, the frigid conditions will extend as far south as Oklahoma, bringing subzero temperatures to the upper Midwest and Northern Plains, including Iowa and eastern Nebraska. Areas further south, including the Texas Panhandle, Oklahoma, and the Ohio Valley, will see lows in the 20s.

Afternoon temperatures will remain below freezing for much of the Midwest, running 15-25 degrees below the seasonal average. Even southern locations such as Oklahoma City may not climb above freezing.

Friday Outlook

By Friday morning, the cold will extend further south and east. Lows in the single digits and teens will be common from the Great Lakes to New England, including Boston. New York City and Philadelphia are expected to see morning temperatures near 20F, while southern regions from northern Texas to Tennessee, North Carolina, and Virginia will experience 30s. Daytime highs in the Northeast will remain close to freezing.

Although the Midwest and Plains will start to warm slightly, most areas in the Great Lakes and upper Mississippi Valley will remain in the 20s for afternoon highs.

Snow Possibilities

This Arctic front is generally dry, but light snow could occur in the extreme northern tier of the country ahead of the cold front, affecting portions of the Midwest, Ohio Valley, and interior Northeast. Outside of the Great Lakes snowbelts, accumulation is expected to be minimal.

The first full week of meteorological winter is living up to its reputation for extreme cold. Jennifer Gray, a weather and climate writer with two decades of experience covering major global weather events, reports these developments.

Author: Sophia Brooks