NEW ORLEANS — A significant shift in weather patterns is set to bring Arctic air across much of the United States, leading to a major cold snap that will affect millions. This latest intrusion of frigid air is linked to another polar vortex disruption, which is expected to create biting temperatures in cities as far south as the upper reaches of Florida. According to meteorologists, up to 280 million Americans are anticipated to experience temperatures cooler than Anchorage, Alaska, over the coming days.
Meteorologist Ryan Maue emphasized that this cold wave could be one of the most severe experienced in the past decade or more. He explained that this Arctic air mass will travel from its origin in Siberia, creating a weather pattern that stretches across the northern part of the globe, eventually impacting the United States.
Washington, D.C. is likely to feel the cold before Donald Trump’s swearing-in ceremony at the U.S. Capitol on Monday. The National Weather Service has forecast a high of around 22 degrees Fahrenheit (approximately minus-6 degrees Celsius) during the inauguration, marking the coldest day for an inaugural since Ronald Reagan’s second term, which recorded a low of 7 degrees Fahrenheit (around minus-14 degrees Celsius). Barack Obama’s inauguration in 2009 was notably warmer at 28 degrees Fahrenheit (minus-2 degrees Celsius).
Due to anticipated extreme temperatures, the inauguration will take place indoors to ensure the safety of attendees. Trump announced this change on his Truth Social platform, expressing concern for those attending in the biting cold.
Later in the week, temperatures may drop into the single digits and could approach zero on Wednesday morning. Baltimore may experience record lows, and meteorologists predict that approximately 80 million individuals could encounter subzero temperatures at some point during this weather event. Maue indicates that Tuesday morning will likely see the most severe cold, with average lows across the continental United States hitting around 7 degrees Fahrenheit (minus-14 degrees Celsius).
Regions from Chicago to Indianapolis, as well as Columbus, Ohio, and Pittsburgh, could see some of the chilling temperatures. Maue described these areas as a corridor of extreme cold where the combination of calm nighttime winds and snow-covered ground could lead to dangerously low temperatures.
According to meteorological reports, this cold air intrusion might reach as far as the Gulf Coast and northern Florida. Although earlier predictions for the month indicated a severe cold spell, adjustments have shown that the current forecasts are trending colder than previously estimated. Each day’s computer models point to increasingly low temperatures, Maue noted.
While there might be a chance of sporadic snow squalls, meteorologists are primarily warning of bone-chilling cold characterized as a dry cold. This latest cold snap is also attributed to disturbances in the polar vortex — a ring of freezing air that typically remains contained near the North Pole. This displacement of air, which acts like a stretched rubber band, is becoming more frequent, according to experts, who link these occurrences to climate change and shifts in pressure and temperature differences between the Arctic and lower latitudes.
These weather phenomena also influence the jet stream, which generally moves weather patterns from west to east, causing cold air masses to plunge southward. Meteorologists note that while one side of the jet stream experiences extreme cold, the western regions, including southern California, see warmer air and heightened wind conditions, potentially complicating ongoing fire situations in that area.
The duration of this cold outbreak remains under discussion among meteorologists, but many agree that below-average temperatures could linger across various parts of the country well into the month. Observations suggest similar polar vortex disruptions might occur again in early February.
