Arctic air is expected to sweep across much of the United States later this week and into next week, bringing dangerously cold temperatures and severe wind chills.
The National Weather Service has warned that this frigid air will move over the Rockies and Great Plains on Friday and by Saturday night, it will head toward the Gulf coast and midwest, reaching the east coast by Sunday night.
By Monday, more than 300 million Americans are expected to experience below-average temperatures for this time of year, according to Fox Weather.
Donald Trump’s inauguration ceremony, which is scheduled to take place on Monday in Washington DC, is on track to be the coldest inauguration day in nearly 40 years.
Temperatures in Washington DC, are expected to drop significantly on Sunday night, with daytime temperatures on Monday anticipated to be in the teens and lower 20s Fahrenheit with a highs of about 24F (-4.4C) expected, and wind chills between -5F (-20C) and 15F (-9C).
AccuWeather meteorologists said this could be the coldest inauguration day on record since 1985 when Ronald Reagan was sworn in for a second term, and the temperature reached just 7F (-13.8C), according to the National Weather Service.
For comparison, Joe Biden’s inauguration in 2021 had a temperature of 42F (5.5C), Donald Trump’s first inauguration in 2017 was 48F (8.8C), and Barack Obama’s inauguration in 2013 was 45F (7.2C). Obama’s first inauguration in 2009 was notably colder at 28F (-2.2C).
Between 1989 and 2009, temperatures on inauguration days have ranged from 34F(1.1C) to 52F (11.1C), according to the National Weather Service.
The forecast indicates that Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday will probably be the coldest three-day stretch of weather in the Washington DC area in five years, according to the National Weather Service.
Other regions, such as the Rockies, northern Plains, and upper midwest may see wind chills drop to -30F (-34C) or lower from Saturday through Tuesday, the National Weather Service said, with snow expected.
Below-zero wind chills may also reach the southern Plains and Ohio Valley from Sunday night into Tuesday, while hazardous cold is expected to persist along the Gulf coast and south-east through much of next week.
As of Thursday morning, winter storm warnings were in effect in parts of Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia and Pennsylvania, with snow anticipated, and winter weather advisories are in place for parts of Washington DC, Ohio, West Virginia, Baltimore and Pennsylvania.
A hazardous weather outlook is in effect for parts of New Jersey and New York, including New York City, with snow expected in some areas on Thursday afternoon.
Wind chill temperatures could plummet to -50F (-45C) in North Dakota from Saturday night to Monday morning. Idaho and Montana are bracing for this Arctic front, with dangerously cold wind chills of -30F (-34C) or colder expected along the continental divide on Saturday night.
In Colorado, weather officials predict bitter cold temperatures over the weekend and into Tuesday, with lows below zero and wind chills as low as -30F (-34C). Temperatures may dip into the negative teens Fahrenheit across lower elevations on Monday night. On Sunday, Minneapolis could see lows of about -14F (-25C).
Even in areas of Texas such as Houston residents are expected to feel the winter chill by Saturday night, according to weather officials, with temperatures dropping into the 30s Fahrenheit and northern counties dipping into the upper 20s Fahrenheit.
Article by:Source – Anna Betts
