Prepare for Freezing Conditions: Extreme Cold to Cover Much of the U.S. Soon
Parts of the United States are set to see another round of winter weather in the days ahead, with unusual snow and ice in the Gulf Coast region and bone-chilling winds in the Northern Plains.
According to National Weather Service Meteorologist Marc Chenard, colder-than-normal temperatures will be experienced across much of the United States from the Rockies into the Northern Plains beginning Sunday and continuing into the upcoming week. Wind chills of minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 40 degrees Celsius) or lower are predicted in the Dakotas and northern Minnesota.
According to Connor Smith, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Bismarck, people should wear jackets, hats, and gloves and spend as little time outside as possible because frostbite can appear on exposed skin in 10 minutes or less in such cold weather.
The central and eastern U.S. will remain frigid with highs in the teens and 20s on Monday and Tuesday, according to Chenard, even though the cold air will lessen as it goes south and east.
Additionally, the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic will see wind chills below zero, lows in the single digits and below zero degrees Fahrenheit (minus eighteen Celsius), and highs in the teens and twenties.
He warned that Texas, northern Florida, and the Carolinas are at risk from unusual wintry precipitation that includes snow, sleet, and freezing rain. It is anticipated that the effects will begin Monday evening in Texas and move over the Southeast and Gulf Coast on Tuesday and Wednesday.
“It will be another storm that moves fairly quickly, but it will probably bring some significant winter weather to places that don’t get it as often,” Chenard stated.
According to him, the main effects away from the coast would be snow and possibly sleet, while the coastal areas might see sleet, freezing rain, and ice buildup on roads. According to him, the possibility of several inches of snow may probably hinder transport in places that aren’t used to it.
Ahead of the winter weather, Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry declared a state of emergency on Saturday. He urged Louisianans to keep an eye on the weather forecast and to be ready.
This latest cold snap, like the one that occurred earlier this month, is caused by a disruption in the polar vortex, which is the ring of frigid air that is often confined around the North Pole.
According to Chenard, snow will begin to move across portions of the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic on Sunday and then move into New York City and New England later that day. According to Chenard, the brief spike in snowfall might bring between 2 and 8 inches (5 and 20 centimeters).
There will be accumulating, plowable snowfall due to the area’s normal wintry weather, Chenard added. According to him, drivers may experience hazardous driving conditions in the East, and certain airports may experience problems.
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Baltimore officials decided to postpone Monday’s annual Martin Luther King Jr. march due to the prospect of snow and extremely cold weather.
It was a “difficult decision” made out of “an abundance of caution for the safety of our participants and spectators,” Mayor Brandon Scott stated on X.
The procession has been canceled for the second consecutive year because of worries about the winter weather.
Democratic Governor Ned Lamont of Connecticut has ordered the state’s severe cold weather protocol to take effect starting at 6 p.m. on Sunday and lasting until Friday at noon.
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At that time, it is predicted that daytime temperatures will stay below freezing, while evening lows will likely fall into the single digits and maybe below zero.
In order to guarantee that anyone in need can obtain refuge from the elements, including transportation to shelters, state agencies and municipalities can collaborate with homeless shelters and a 24-hour hotline for community services when the state’s severe cold weather protocol is triggered.