The relentless and bitterly cold air is on track to return in earnest across a wide swath of the nation this week. Residents from the northern Plains to even the Gulf Coast will have noticeably cooler conditions through midweek, with some forecast to experience downright dangerous temperatures.
While many consider the persistent cold weather quite a nuisance, there may be more serious implications from the cold for farmers, certain businesses and even energy suppliers.
“The cold air will have wide-reaching impacts on everyday life and the economy, such as stressed power grids due to increased heating demands, closed schools, health impacts and dangerous AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures as low as minus 50 degrees Fahrenheit,” explained AccuWeather Meteorologist Haley Taylor.
Some records in jeopardy
Due to the cold influx across the East from early this week to midweek, several records will be challenged. Forecasters say record-low maximum and minimum temperatures through Wednesday will be in jeopardy.
"This cold snap is coming at the climatological peak of winter when historical average temperatures hit their lowest values in many parts of the country. Since this is the heart of winter, record-low temperatures are near their lowest values as well. This may prevent widespread record-setting temperatures, but some record-low temperatures will likely be broken," explained AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Adam Douty.
By Tuesday and Wednesday, the extreme cold will expand eastward to places like Philadelphia, where daytime temperatures will only climb into the upper teens. The last time the City of Brotherly Love observed a high temperature in the teens was in late December 2022.
Into Tuesday, wind gusts will generally range up to 20-25 mph from the Great Lakes to the Northeast, with a few stronger gusts in New England in the wake of the recent snowstorm. However, from Tuesday night to Wednesday, energy swinging into the North Central states will usher in stronger gusts, reaching speeds upwards of 30-40 mph from Montana to Nebraska.
Even a slight breeze paired with the frigid conditions can drop AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures substantially. The risk of cold-related illnesses such as frostbite, hypothermia and lung or immune system impacts increases as well.
"In areas that experience windy conditions, like much of the Midwest early this week, AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures can reach 40 to 50 below zero. It will feel brutally cold, and anyone adventuring outside can get frostbite on exposed skin in just a matter of minutes," noted Douty.
Wintry mix of precipitation could cause Texas power outages, but ERCOT says statewide grid is ready
Snow and ice will hit swath of South that hasn’t seen a storm like this in decades
Heavy snow and ice will fall in eight states from Texas to the Carolinas late Monday into Wednesday, leading to dangerous conditions in places where the severity of snowfall could be historic. Winter storms of this magnitude are rare along this 1,500-mile corridor, where winter storm warnings, watches and advisories are widespread.
Travel will grind to a halt in the Deep South as snow accumulates in cities that don’t often use snowplows. The worst of the weather will probably track near the Interstate 10 corridor between Texas and northern Florida, with Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia also expecting snow. In some places, the wet snow may bring down roofs, overhangs and power lines.
In Houston, George Bush Intercontinental Airport has suspended flight operations starting at midnight late Monday. In New Orleans, 3 to 6 inches of snow on Tuesday could amount to the city’s biggest snowfall on record. In Florida, a winter storm watch was issued for the first time in 11 years — and the snowstorm could become the biggest in the state’s recorded history in terms of snowfall.
For many parts of the Deep South, the deepest snow cover occurred decades ago, making the upcoming event particularly unusual, even for people who have lived in the region a long time.
Freezing temperatures may last more than 24 hours along the Gulf Coast, meaning that snow and ice won’t melt right away and dangerous conditions will linger even after the storm ends.
Snow or a wintry mix is expected to develop in Texas late Monday or very early Tuesday in cities such as Austin, Houston and Galveston.
The amount of precipitation that falls as snow versus sleet and freezing rain will determine snowfall totals. In areas where the precipitation will be mostly or all snow, accumulations will probably range from 3 to 6 inches. Amounts of 1 to 3 inches are possible in areas that experience a wintry mix.
Regardless, widespread school and business closures can be expected, with the worst of the weather coinciding with the Tuesday morning commute, continuing into the early afternoon.
Snow will also cover southern Louisiana and Mississippi on Tuesday morning, then Alabama, Georgia, the Florida Panhandle, South Carolina and North Carolina on Tuesday afternoon and evening.
Southern Louisiana could experience some of the storm’s biggest snowfall totals, where isolated amounts of 6 or more inches are not out of the question. Cities including Lake Charles, Lafayette and Baton Rouge could experience crippling amounts of wet snow, heavy enough to bring down roofs and power lines.
For New Orleans, it could turn out to be the biggest snowstorm on record. On Dec. 31, 1963, 2.7 inches fell at the airport there, the current record.
Snowfall totals in the Florida Panhandle could rival some of the biggest ever observed in the state (4 inches). In Pensacola, a storm on March 6, 1954, brought 2.3 inches.
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