Polar Vortex Set to Hit US with Frigid Temperatures This Weekend

A polar vortex will plunge temperatures below freezing across much of the U.S. starting this weekend, affecting over 300 million people.

Polar Vortex Set to Hit US with Frigid Temperatures This Weekend
Polar Vortex Set to Hit US with Frigid Temperatures This Weekend

Minneapolis: So, here’s the scoop. Most of the U.S. is enjoying some milder weather on Thursday, but don’t get too comfy. A polar vortex is on its way, and it’s going to send temperatures crashing below freezing this weekend.

Even though it’s a bit chilly in the eastern U.S. right now, many places are seeing highs that are 20 degrees above normal. But hold onto your hats because it’s about to get really cold.

How cold, you ask? Well, Minneapolis is looking at a high of 34 degrees on Thursday, but by Sunday, it’s going to drop to a bone-chilling 3 degrees below zero. Yikes!

Meteorologist Britta Merwin from FOX Weather suggests it might be a good time to book a flight south—like really far south.

This cold snap is due to a disrupted polar vortex. A lobe of it is dipping down into the U.S. this weekend, and it’s not just a little chill. It’s potentially life-threatening cold.

Merwin points out that this kind of weather can even bring cold air to Florida. It’s rare, but it happens maybe once or twice a year when arctic air sweeps all the way down to the Gulf Coast. So, if you’re a snowbird trying to escape to the South, guess what? There’s no escaping this one. Everyone’s going to feel it.

By Monday, over 300 million Americans will be dealing with below-average temperatures. The forecast says some areas could see temperatures drop as much as 45 degrees below average, leading to sub-zero temps in at least 20 states, from the Plains to the Great Lakes and the Northeast.

Every state in the Lower 48 and over 80% of the population will experience freezing temperatures. The deep freeze will even reach the Deep South, with only South Florida managing to dodge the icy blast.

While there might be a slight warm-up in the middle of next week, the overall trend is still pointing toward more brutally cold air outbreaks as January wraps up.

Right now, temperatures are already running 5-10 degrees below average, which means many places in the eastern U.S. are on track for one of the coldest Januarys in years.

And it’s not just the usual suspects feeling the chill. Cities like Atlanta, which aren’t used to this kind of cold, are bracing for impact.

Merwin warns that the wind chill will make it feel like negative 50 degrees in some areas come Monday morning. That’s no joke!

In Atlanta, temperatures could dip into the teens, and folks are getting ready for the icy onslaught.

People in western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee, still recovering from Hurricane Helene, really need to prepare for this cold snap. It’s going to be a tough one, especially with that wind chill factor in play.

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