Multiple U.S. states are experiencing bone-chilling winter weather as temperatures plunge throughout the country. A map shows the widespread nature of the Arctic cold front, which could extend through mid December and hit more than 15 states.
The frigid temperatures were caused by shifts in the polar vortex. The cold front was expected to hit the “northern tier” of the U.S. on Sunday, December 7, and Monday, December 8. States in the Northeast and Great Lakes Region are expected to be particularly hard hit by the low temperatures, which are expected to move into the Northeastern U.S. by Monday. The unusual cold front is normally seen in February, not early December. According to Accuweather, “more Arctic air is building over northern Canada and will be directed into the United States, courtesy of the polar vortex,” throughout mid-December.
North Carolina, New Jersey & Texas Are Among the States Expecting Cold Weather
Central North Carolina was expected to see black ice and frigid temperatures as a cold front moves in Monday, December 7. Monday night “will bring very cold temperatures, dropping into the teens, which could lead to patchy black ice overnight,”ABC 11 reported.
In New Jersey, residents were advised to prepare for “the coldest temperatures of the season with most of the state remaining below freezing Monday and gusty winds making it feel even colder,” according to NJ.com. The cold front was expected to strike New Jersey late Sunday, December 7.
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“A blast of Arctic air will follow the front and send temperatures tumbling,” NJ.com reported.
Even North Texas wasn’t immune to the cold. The region saw a cold front move in on the morning of December 7, according to CBS News. On Monday morning, things get chillier in Texas. “The low is forecast to dip into the mid-20s for counties along the Red River and in the low 30s for the DFW Metroplex,” added CBS News.
Mid-December isn’t expected to warm up in many states. “My thinking is that the cold the first week of December is the appetizer and the main course will be in mid-December,” research scientist Judah Cohen told USA Today.
According to MLive, the cold is also striking areas of the Midwest, such as Michigan, which should receive “another shot or two of Arctic cold,” due to the Polar Vortex shifting over the Great Lakes. “Temperatures across many areas of the Midwest could drop below zero Fahrenheit on Monday morning, roughly 15 to 25 degrees below the historical average,” Accuweather reported.
What Is the Polar Vortex?
What is the polar vortex and why does it affect winter weather so much? The polar vortex “is a large upper-level, low-pressure area or circulation that typically resides above the Arctic Circle,” according to Accuweather.
According to that site, “When this storm is strong, it tends to keep the coldest air in the Northern Hemisphere locked up over the pole. However, when it weakens or stretches, frigid air can move south.”
“The polar vortex has been in a weakened and stretched state since late November,” AccuWeather Lead Long-Range Meteorologist Paul Pastelok said on that website. “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.”
