The harshest cold of the winter on the way for parts of the US

The harshest cold of the winter on the way for parts of the US

Mild weather ahead of the bitter cold may add a bit of shock value. Temperatures were upward over parts of the Rockies and Plains on Tuesday, and through midweek, they became milder air pushed eastward. However, AccuWeather meteorologists warn that Arctic air is on the move across central Canada, and continues to stretch further across a large part of the central United States.

After highs near 40 on Wednesday in Des Moines, Iowa, the mercury may top out at only 6 F on Sunday. The Arctic air came through the Midwestern city on Thursday that plummeted temperatures, snow started to fly and road conditions deteriorated rapidly.

AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Brett Anderson said that the press of Arctic air would coincide with a large southward plunge of the jet stream associated with a break-off lobe of the polar vortex and should give the frigid weather a free ride into much of the Central states starting late that week. Also, he explained reinforcing waves of cold air would arrive through at least the first part of next week.

Even winter-hardy, long-time residents of the northern Plains and Midwest may take notice of the upcoming weather because temperatures much of the winter have been well above average. Since Dec. 1, temperatures have reached the average from 3 to 6 degrees Fahrenheit above normal over the region.

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Furthermore, it is expected that temperatures dip a dozen or more degrees below average for several days. The extreme temperature departures will be more notable since early February is just past when average temperatures are at the lowest points of the season in many places.

In Chicago, on Christmas morning and again on Jan. 28, it was recorded the lowest temperature of this season (8 °F). Temperatures are forecasted to continue below zero during several nights in the upcoming cold pattern.

AccuWeather Meteorologist Nichole LoBiondo said that even though the setup might fail to break many official low-temperature records, temperatures departure of 30 and even 40 degrees Fahrenheit below average were quite possible with the Arctic blast and that in itself could be quite painful for the dead of winter.

The Eastern states will experience much colder air. However, the coldest air may get bottled up over the Central states and have been prevented somehow when going over the Appalachians and toward the Eastern Seaboard.

Temperatures could tumble below the lowest measured temperatures of the season in New York,  Washington, D.C, and other locations of the East in the coming days. It appears that near- or below-zero readings are most likely across northern New England and the traditional cold spots of the central Appalachians next week.

It is predicted that the temperature contrast zone that can cause one or more storms on the Atlantic coast in the coming days. 

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