5 Regions Most at Risk From This Week’s Polar Vortex
With La Niña conditions in place, some parts of the U.S. are already experiencing record cold temperatures—and more could be on the way. Meteorologists warn that this week will see yet another polar vortex hit the U.S., bringing frigid conditions along with it.
Similar to last week’s record-cold recordings, the latest round of freezing temperatures is the result of a weather effect known as sudden stratospheric warming. When the typically strong winds in the Earth’s upper atmosphere suddenly warm and weaken, they lose their ability to keep the frigid air that sits atop the Arctic in place, allowing it to spill south into the inhabited parts of Canada and the U.S. In fact, you may have noticed that this shift has been affecting the weather for weeks now.
“The polar vortex has been in a weakened and stretched state since late November,” Paul Pastelok, lead long-range meteorologist for AccuWeather, said in a recent update. “We are seeing the result as Arctic air pushes southward across the central and eastern U.S. in recent days and may continue to do so for the next couple of weeks or so in waves.”
With the upcoming blasts stretching even further, which places will be affected? Here’s what the forecast has to say about the latest polar vortex hitting the U.S.
RELATED: The #1 Sign Your Region Is About to Get Its First Hard Freeze.
1. The Plains
While it’s already very cold in the Plains, the north-central U.S. will see the first of the most recent influx of Arctic air. Beginning on Dec. 10, eastern Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, and even most of Oklahoma will see temperatures plunge, according to AccuWeather.
2. The Midwest
The same rush of cold air will also start sweeping into the Midwest later on Dec. 10, with states like Minnesota and Iowa squarely in line for some early frigid temperatures.
By the following day, the air mass is expected to continue its push east and hit the remaining states in the Great Lakes and beyond, including Wisconsin, Illinois, Missouri, Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio.
Over the weekend, the National Weather Service (NWS) in Chicago issued a warning in its six-to-10-day temperature outlook, posted on X. The agency warned that “highs may drop toward the single digits and teens, and lows may drop towards zero,” adding that “below zero wind chills are possible, especially during the overnight hours.”
3. The Northeast
The NWS’s warning extends into the northern corner of the U.S., with the next wave of Arctic air hitting the region beginning on Saturday. All of New England, New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey will see temperatures drop dangerously low.
RELATED: 4 Regions Most Likely to See Their First Snowfall in December.
4. The Mid-Atlantic and interior
The Arctic air mass will also push farther south into the weekend. This means that as of Saturday, states like Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Ohio, and Kentucky will begin feeling the mercury drop significantly.
5. The Southeast
In what is arguably the most surprising development, frigid temperatures will also descend upon the typically warmer southern states late Friday into Saturday. This will bring chilly temperatures to Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Mississippi, and Alabama.
And that’s not all: In his forecast, Pastelok warned that “there is a chance for a frost or freeze…as far south as central Florida.” The forecast says temperatures could dip into the teens and even feel like 10 to 20 degrees colder in windy conditions.