A strong winter storm is expected to develop and move across parts of the Midwest, Appalachians, eastern Great Lakes, Mid-Atlantic, and Northeast United States this week, bringing a mix of strong winds, rain, and snow, including blizzard conditions that could hinder many people’s year-end travel plans.
A frigid Christmas is expected to occur across vast parts of the central and eastern United States, as a blast of arctic air is set to sweep through the region by the end of the week, causing temperatures to plummet well below late December averages.
“Combined with wind gusts of up to 60 mph, the wind chill could drop to around negative 40 degrees across the central and north-central United States,” meteorologists at the forecasting center said on Tuesday. “This level of cold can be deadly and lead to frostbite on exposed skin in less than 10 minutes.”
Sub-zero temperatures are forecast even for parts of southern Texas, the Gulf Coast, and Florida over the weekend and into next week.
Nearly 40 regions in the United States are expected to experience record cold temperatures on Thursday and Friday.
The cold air mass is expected to begin its southward push mid-week, sweeping across the Northern Rockies toward the eastern part of the country.
All states in the country, if you count the peaks in Hawaii, are also expected to have sub-zero temperatures on Christmas Eve.
Snow is likely to add to the headaches for travelers, especially in the Midwest and Great Lakes regions. The expectation is that the weather system will produce not only heavy snow but also relentless winds that will bring blizzard conditions to places like Chicago and Milwaukee.
It’s important to note that it won’t just be air travel that will be impacted; the storm will also have a significant effect on road and rail travel.
So plan ahead, keep an eye on the weather forecast, and do not put your life and the lives of others at risk.