Extreme Cold Outbreak Chills Central, Eastern U.S.
An extreme cold outbreak has its eyes set on the eastern two-thirds of the U.S. for the second half of the work week. More than 50 cities will be at risk for breaking their daily record low temperatures!
The polar jet stream and a powerful Canadian high pressure system will work in tandem over the next few days to cause an extremely cold outbreak for areas east of the Rockies. The coldest air will be found over the Central U.S. today, which will spread south and east through Friday. When all is said and done, temperatures will range anywhere from 5 to 50 degrees below the normal for this time of year! Extensive record low temperatures are at risk due to this extreme cold.
While temperatures won't reach the sheer cold they reached today in much of the plains, Arctic air will extend farther south and east on Thursday morning. Low temperatures will remain below zero as far south as Kansas, northern Oklahoma and northern Arkansas and as far east as western Wisconsin and most of Illinois. Single digits and teens will extend into the parts of the southern Plains, Lower Mississippi Valley and Mid-South. Twenties and lower 30s will occur along the Gulf Coast.
On Thursday morning, more than 50 record low temperatures will be at risk. This includes Grand Island and Hastings, Neb., which could see temperatures around minus 23 degrees. These temperatures would obliterate the daily records of minus 11 and minus 12 degrees, respectively. Tulsa, Okla., is forecast to have a low temperature of minus 2 degrees in the morning, which would demolish the record of 9 degrees set in 1918. With a forecast low of 22 degrees, the record low of 26 degrees set in 2021 in San Antonio, Texas, will be broken. Even Galveston, Texas, will come close to breaking its record low for the day, with a forecast low of 33 degrees compared to the record of 34 degrees set in 1908.
Extensive Extreme Cold Warnings are in effect throughout the Plains into parts of the Mid-Mississippi and Tennessee valleys until Thursday morning. Cold Weather Advisories have also been issued throughout the rest of the Plains, Mississippi Valley, Midwest and Deep South. Cities included in one of these cold weather alerts include Kansas City, Mo., Oklahoma City, Dallas, San Antonio, Houston and Brownsville, Texas, Minneapolis, St. Louis, New Orleans, Chicago, Jackson, Miss., Birmingham, Ala., and Pensacola, Fla. It will be so cold that southern Texas has a Freeze Warning in effect.
By Friday morning, the coldest temperatures will be centered over the Upper Mississippi Valley. Here, temperatures will be as low as minus 15 degrees. A major concern though will be the bitter cold sticking around the Deep South and Gulf Coast. Record low temperatures will be at risk here, where temperatures easily drop into the 20s.
Try to avoid being outdoors during the extreme cold, but if you absolutely need to, be sure to dress in layers, cover all exposed skin, limit time outdoors, and bring those pets indoors. Check for the latest tips and forecasts on WeatherBug.com.