Extreme cold forecast to spread over much of U.S. this weekend, persist into next week
A surge of Arctic air is set to spread across much of the U.S. this weekend, bringing dangerously cold temperatures and wind chills as low as -34 °C (-30 °F) in some areas. Snow squalls will likely cause hazardous travel conditions over the Rockies and High Plains beginning on Thursday, January 16, 2025.
Image credit: Tropical Tidbits
A powerful Arctic air mass will begin its southeast spread from the Rockies on Friday, January 17, 2025, plunging temperatures well below freezing across large portions of the U.S. The cold front is forecast to sweep into the Gulf Coast and Midwest by Saturday night and will reach the Eastern Seaboard by Sunday night.
Minimum wind chills are forecast to dip as low as -34 °C (-30 °F) or lower in parts of the Rockies, northern Plains, and Upper Midwest from Saturday, January 18, through Tuesday, January 21.
The extreme cold poses a high risk of hypothermia and frostbite for exposed skin. Residents are advised to carry cold-weather survival kits if traveling and to limit outdoor exposure.
Wind chill values below -18 °C (0 °F) are expected to extend into the southern Plains and Ohio Valley by Sunday night, lasting into Tuesday. The cold air mass is likely to linger along the Gulf Coast and Southeast through much of the following week.
Intense snow squalls are expected to develop as the cold front advances southward through the Rockies and into the High Plains. These bursts of heavy snowfall, combined with gusty winds, are likely to cause sudden whiteout conditions, making travel treacherous.
The snow squall threat will begin Thursday night, January 16, over Montana and continue into Friday, January 17, across the central Rockies and High Plains.
Wind chills of -34 °C (-30 °F) or colder are expected to affect parts of Montana, North Dakota, and Minnesota. Below-freezing wind chills will extend to Texas, Oklahoma, and the lower Mississippi Valley by Sunday, January 19. Hazardous cold temperatures are forecast to continue along the Gulf Coast and southeastern states through January 23.
The National Weather Service (NWS) warns of rapidly deteriorating road conditions during snow squalls with the potential for icy patches and low visibility.
References:
1 U.S. Day 3-7 Hazards Outlook – Weather Prediction Center – NOAA/NWS – Accessed on January 15, 2025
Rishika holds a Master’s in International Studies from Stella Maris College, Chennai, India, where she earned a gold medal, and an MCA from the University of Mysore, Karnataka, India. Previously, she served as a Research Assistant at the National Institute of Advanced Studies, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, India. During her tenure, she contributed as a Junior Writer for Europe Monitor on the Global Politics website and as an Assistant Editor for The World This Week. Her work has also been published in The Hindu newspaper, showing her expertise in global affairs. Rishika is also a recipient of the Women Empowerment Award at the district level in Haryana, India, in 2022.
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