A significant shift in weather patterns is occurring across the United States as the January thaw that brought record warmth comes to a close. The familiar polar vortex is set to reestablish itself, leading to below-average temperatures, particularly in the Midwest and East, for the remainder of January. This change will introduce a series of cold air masses, with the first wave expected to impact the East Coast on Thursday.
Following this initial drop in temperature, another surge of frigid air will sweep through the country this weekend, with a third and potentially severer cold wave arriving next week. The effects of these plunges in temperature will be widespread, affecting areas that rarely experience frost, as even Florida braces for freezing conditions with a significant chill predicted along the Gulf of Mexico.
Over the next two weeks, the forecast indicates additional waves of cold air pushing into the central and eastern regions of the U.S. The first wave will start Thursday, bringing temperatures down by 10 to 20 degrees below average. In Washington D.C., highs are anticipated to barely hit the freezing mark, while Lakeland, Florida, could see record lows of 29 degrees overnight on Friday.
While winter weather advisories are issued for parts of the Great Lakes, Appalachians, and northeastern states where accumulating snow is likely, the incoming disturbances are not expected to culminate in a significant winter storm. The second and third waves following the initial cold front are predicted to bring more snow but without any major storms on the horizon.
The most concerning aspect of the upcoming cold snap is that it could potentially lead to subzero temperatures affecting around 40 million people, especially from Minnesota to Maine. Low temperatures in the Upper Midwest could plunge into the minus-10s, minus-20s, or even colder. There are indications that this cold spell could persist into the end of the month and possibly combine with moisture to create winter storms later in January.
This frigid return is largely attributed to a disruption in the polar vortex from late November, which has led to colder air spilling further south than usual. While areas like Greenland and northeastern Russia are experiencing warmer-than-average temperatures due to the same atmospheric disruption, the U.S. is witnessing a contrasting weather pattern. This January warmth has been a continuation of an overall warmer winter, with several states, particularly in the West, reporting temperatures at least 8 degrees above average. Notably, states such as Wyoming, Colorado, and Utah are among those experiencing notable warmth, overshadowing the chill felt in parts of the Midwest and Northeast.
The interplay of these weather patterns underscores the complexity of our changing climate, with record warmth in some areas and severe cold in others, pointing to the ongoing impacts of climate change on our weather systems. With each wave of cold air and potential snow, states across the country are preparing for winter’s grip, reminding us of the dynamic nature of our atmosphere.