BOSTON — Across the United States, residents are preparing for extremely low temperatures, while millions along the East Coast contend with heavy snowfall, with more precipitation on the horizon.
Winter storm alerts have been issued by the National Weather Service for areas in the Mid-Atlantic region through Monday morning, with warnings spreading to New England since Sunday afternoon. Heavy lake-effect snow is anticipated in western New York from Monday to Wednesday morning, with some locations, such as Oswego along Lake Ontario, possibly receiving between 2 to 3 feet (approximately 60 to 90 centimeters) of snow.
Meteorologist Marc Chenard from the National Weather Service in College Park, Maryland, indicated that nearly 70 million people could be affected by winter storm warnings in the upcoming days.
This snowfall marks just the beginning of a tumultuous week of weather. Areas along the Eastern Seaboard will face some of the coldest temperatures seen this winter season. Regions stretching from the Rockies to the Northern Plains can expect temperatures to plunge to between -30°F (-34°C) and -55°F (-48°C) on Monday, with dangerous sub-zero wind chills stretching southward to Oklahoma and the Tennessee Valley.
To prepare for the harsh conditions, residents in Minnesota have been advised to dress appropriately and have emergency supplies while traveling. Kristi Rollwagen, the director of homeland security and emergency management at the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, also recommended motorists to keep their gas tanks full and carry charged cell phones to stay in contact with family and friends.
“It’s not that we haven’t faced this before, but it serves as a reminder that it can get extremely cold in Minnesota,” Rollwagen stated.
Meanwhile, in Washington, D.C., temperatures are projected to drop into the 20s (approximately -7°C to -1°C), compounded by wind gusts that could exceed 30 mph (48 km/h). As a result, the inauguration ceremony for President-elect Donald Trump has been shifted indoors to the U.S. Capitol Rotunda.
This latest cold spell is linked to a disturbance in the polar vortex, which typically keeps cold air confined near the North Pole. The frigid air will gradually warm as it advances south and east; however, central and eastern regions of the U.S. will still experience temperatures in the teens and 20s from Monday to Tuesday. The Mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions will encounter daytime highs in the teens and 20s, nighttime lows in the single digits and below zero, along with wind chills that will dip below zero.
An unusual combination of snow, sleet, and freezing rain is projected to move into the South early in the week, potentially impacting around 30 million people starting Monday. These atypical weather conditions are expected to extend from Texas to northern Florida and the Carolinas, with effects beginning Monday night in Texas and then spreading across the Gulf Coast and Southeast into Tuesday and Wednesday.
The impending storm is fueled by frigid air in conjunction with a low-pressure system over the Gulf, which could result in heavy snowfall just south of the Interstate 20 corridor affecting northern Louisiana and Mississippi, as well as a mix of snow, sleet, and freezing rain near the Interstate 10 corridor from Houston to Mobile, Alabama.
In response to the severe weather, Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry declared a state of emergency on Saturday, urging residents to prepare and stay informed about ongoing forecasts.
