Millions brace for ‘mother lode’ of cold air, but there’s a change in sight for central, eastern US

Extremely cold air has been building across northern Canada this week and is poised to move southeast across large parts of the central and eastern United States in the coming days. However, AccuWeather meteorologists say some changes in the pattern will begin to unfold next week, which will eliminate the cold air from the United States before Christmas.

“There’s a huge area of ​​air in northwestern Canada where temperatures are 20 to 30 degrees below zero Fahrenheit, and it’s heading southeast toward the United States,” AccuWeather Chief On-Air Meteorologist Bernie Rayno said. “This is the mother lode of cold air and it is a term I do not use lightly.”

The frigid air will be uncomfortable and potentially dangerous for people across the Northern Plains to the Midwest, although temperatures may not be as extreme as farther north in Canada.

“The coldest air of the season so far is on the way for portions of the Midwest, the Tennessee Valley and much of the Appalachians,” AccuWeather Long-Range Meteorologist Paul Pastelok said.

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In Minneapolis, current temperatures may fail to rise above zero and will be surrounded by lows between 10 and 20 degrees below zero on Friday night and Saturday night. AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures may drop 10-20 degrees or more below the current temperature. “Exposure or those without shelter in these conditions, especially with blustery winds, can lead to hypothermia or frostbite in less than 30 minutes,” Pastelok said.

Temperatures could barely reach the single digits in Chicago on Saturday then drop well below zero Saturday night. “The RealFeel Temperature in Chicago is forecast to stay below zero all weekend,” Pastelok said.

The upcoming Arctic outbreak and most cold blasts in recent weeks have been driven by a displacement or weakening of the polar vortex.

Dense Arctic air will drift into the lowest part of the atmosphere and may struggle to rise above the Appalachians. However, even in areas east of the mountains from Washington, DC, to Philadelphia, New York City and Boston, temperatures will approach or exceed the low mark reached in the middle of this week. If a storm brings the first accumulating snow of the season to these areas later this weekend, the stage could be set for temperatures to drop east of the Appalachians as well.

“The frigid pattern caused by the recent disruption of the polar vortex will maintain its grip over much of the central and eastern United States into next week,” Pastelok said. “Millions of families will likely struggle with high heating bills, with furnaces, baseboards and heat pumps running frequently to keep homes warm in the bitter cold.” In unheated areas, there will be a risk of pipes freezing and bursting.

Frigid conditions to ease before Christmas

The weather pattern is expected to change next week, adopting a more west-to-east orientation in the U.S. However, it may take some time for the cold air to leave, and there will still be some bursts of cold air in the central and eastern states, although not as extreme as the Arctic burst in mid-December.

“While it may feel like Christmas time already with the cold and snow, the bitter cold pattern is not expected to last through the holidays,” Pastelok said.

The vast snow cover still accumulating through the clipper storm pattern this weekend is likely to be eroded by warmer temperatures before Christmas.

“Don’t assume because it’s cold and snowy now that it’s going to be that way on Christmas Day,” Pastelok said. “Skiers and snowboarders should take advantage of the cold air and fresh powder on the slopes that are open in the Appalachians. Skiing and boarding conditions may deteriorate during Christmas week at some resorts as warmer air moves in.”

Meanwhile, those who want warmth or at least warm thoughts during this weekend can look to the Florida Peninsula and most areas west of the Rockies, except for areas of fog in the Central Valley of California or flooded areas in the Pacific Northwest.

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