“Historical” Arctic Air will conquer the USA in the middle of the last days of winter – World Time Todays

With the start of spring in the United States just days away, a final burst of winter weather is expected to affect large parts of the country.

Spring officially begins on Monday, but AccuWeather predicted on Thursday that the days leading up to a cold blast of air from the Arctic will be seen that will significantly lower temperatures across most of the country, beginning in the central US on Saturday. Throughout the weekend and into the early days of spring, the cold spell following a storm over the Great Lakes region is expected to spread to most of the east. Temperatures are also expected to drop as far south as Texas.

In parts of the Midwest and Northeast, the Arctic blast is expected to bring one of the sharpest temperature drops of the season, comparable to similar chills that hit around Christmas and early February. Chicago is expected to reach temperatures well below its historical average for this time of year, with temperatures starting in the teens over the weekend and needing to climb through freezing throughout the day. According to AccuWeather, the city’s historical average low for this time of year is about 32 degrees Fahrenheit.

New York City, meanwhile, will see lows around freezing on Saturday and Sunday evening, with daytime temperatures not expected to rise above 40 degrees Fahrenheit.

Strong winds in the Great Lakes and central Appalachian regions are also expected to worsen conditions for many throughout the weekend. Winds generally reach speeds of 40 to 60 miles per hour in these areas, and reach up to 70 miles per hour near the shores of the Great Lakes. These gusts of wind can make the air feel 10-20 degrees cooler than it actually is.

While not as cold as expected further north, parts of the southern US will also expect unusually cold temperatures due to the Arctic blast, with some areas seeing 25-50 degrees deviations from their historical averages for this time of year. Some areas could also break their daily low temperature records over the weekend.

“A strong anticyclone over the central plains will push cold air unusually far south into Texas and northern Mexico, setting the stage for cloudy and harsh conditions this weekend,” said Adam Douty, AccuWeather’s chief meteorologist. “Daily record lows and low highs are likely to be challenged and in some cases even destroyed.”

The effects of the Arctic blast are expected to be felt as far south as New Mexico, across Texas, and as far east as Atlanta and other parts of Georgia. Only Florida should be spared from the cold.

news week contacted the National Weather Service for comment.