Dangerous cold to make a strong comeback in central, eastern US this week
Frigid air hanging out near the Canada border in the central and eastern United States will lunge southward in waves as the third week of February continues, AccuWeather meteorologists say while shivering. In some areas, the bitterly cold air could rival the lowest temperatures experienced this winter.
This can certainly be the case for frigid daytime highs as well as nighttime lows at a point in the winter where lengthening days and strengthening sunshine allow the historical average to trend slowly upward.
Central U.S. cities that could experience such conditions include Fargo, North Dakota; Minneapolis; Chicago; Omaha, Nebraska; Des Moines, Iowa; Kansas City, Missouri; Oklahoma City; Dallas; and St. Louis.
"The first shock wave of bitter arctic air is already well established across central and western Canada," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Joe Lundberg said.
"As the weekend storm strengthens while tracking into the Northeast, it will drag a significant chunk of that frigid air southward across the Great Plains and then force it eastward toward the Mississippi Valley, Appalachians and the Atlantic coast early in the week," Lundberg added.
For example, the lowest daytime high temperature in Omaha, Nebraska, was on Jan. 20, when the high was 10 F. Temperatures may struggle to reach 0 F on Tuesday, which is forecast to be followed by their coldest night of the winter so far, with a low of 15 below zero at the start of the day on Tuesday.
Farther north, temperatures may remain well below zero for many hours from Sunday night and perhaps right on through the middle of the week over portions of the northern Plains and the Upper Midwest.
Farther to the south, in Dallas, record low temperatures will be challenged in the week ahead with frequent low temperatures in the frigid 10s.
The cold in the east will be accompanied by gusty winds from Sunday to Tuesday following the most recent storm.
Some gusts will top 50 mph in the central Appalachians, the mid-Atlantic and New England. Gusts this strong have the potential to break tree limbs and trigger sporadic power outages.Have the app? Unlock AccuWeather Alerts™ with Premium+
AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures will run from 5 to 40 degrees lower than the actual temperature depending on the strength of the wind, sunshine and other factors.
Some of the harshest conditions of the winter will be felt in the upcoming five to seven days.
"The eastward and southward expansion of the cold early next week sets the stage for the next storm in the pipeline, one that will spread snow across portions of Nebraska, Kansas and northern Oklahoma into Missouri Monday night and Tuesday," Lundberg said.
The same storm has the potential to spread some of the heftiest snowfalls of the winter across the mid-Atlantic and southeastern New England from Wednesday to Thursday.
"One final surge of arctic air follows down through Texas in the wake of the storm with record lows," Lundberg said, "The cold will then envelop the entire nation east of the Mississippi from late next week into next weekend."
Especially where the storm from Tuesday to Thursday is able to put a decent amount of snow on the ground, temperatures can plummet at night and struggle to rise much during the day, even where the sun is out. This is due to the insulating and reflective nature of fresh snow cover.
Should that snowstorm develop to its full potential and produce a large swath of deep snow, then the lowest temperatures of the winter may be felt from the interior Southeast to the Northeast later next week.
As the frigid air expands, dangerous conditions are in store, with the risk of frostbite and hypothermia for those who are not properly dressed or spend a considerable amount of time outdoors in the conditions. The penetrating cold can increase the risk of bursting pipes in drafty or poorly insulated areas, especially in the Southern states.
After the last wave of Arctic air cycles through and off the Atlantic coast, temperatures will likely moderate before the end of the month.
A pattern change during the last five days of the month or so and into early March should mean few storms and temperatures closer to the historical average (which continues to trend slowly upward) or perhaps even on the mild side of the average, Lundberg explained.
"When factoring in the late February and March sun, it should feel a great deal warmer for many areas after the persistent cold conditions from January to much of February," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Brett Anderson added.
Skiing and winter sports interest will still have plenty of snow on the slopes and ice on the lakes for a time after the milder weather arrives, but even seasonable temperatures, when combined with sunshine, can provide a tremendous boost for those experiencing the winter blues.
Want next-level safety, ad-free? Unlock advanced, hyperlocal severe weather alerts when you subscribe to Premium+ on the AccuWeather app. AccuWeather Alerts™ are prompted by our expert meteorologists who monitor and analyze dangerous weather risks 24/7 to keep you and your family safer.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
National Hurricane Center tracks a distant tropical wave as dust conditions blow by
One thing you aren't expected to see this weekend − or for the next seven days − according to Saturday morning's National Hurricane Center tropical outlook, is tropical cyclone activity. Instead, Florida's peninsula is forecast to enjoy a typical summer day with warm temperatures and passing afternoon rains. Saharan dust arrived in Florida at the end of the week, but the massive wall of dust should move away from Florida this weekend. A rainier, and actually hotter spot, is in the Panhandle and around Tallahassee, where as much as a half-an-inch might fall, according to the National Weather Service forecast. ➤ Track all active storms ➤ Weather alerts via text: Sign up to get updates about current storms and weather events by location The dust moving across the Atlantic from Africa is helping keep the tropics quiet, as the dry air helps prevent the development of new storms and helps prevent any existing ones from strengthening. Another large plume of dust moving off Africa could reach Florida around June 13, according to AccuWeather. Here's the latest advisory from the National Hurricane Center as of 2 a.m., June 7: The National Hurricane Center is watching a tropical wave in the central Atlantic. It's moving west at 11 to 17 mph. Now is the time to prepare for a hurricane, before a storm is approaching. "This dust will likely prevent anything from forming across most of the Atlantic tropical basin over the next few weeks," said AccuWeather Lead Hurricane Forecaster Alex DaSilva. "The only areas that can see a risk of development will be across the western Caribbean or in the Gulf. "The timing we are looking at for possible tropical development in the central and western Caribbean is June 12-16 or perhaps a bit later," DaSilva said. AccuWeather meteorologists said there is a low risk for tropical development in that area through mid-June. "Should a tropical depression or storm take shape next week, it may be more likely to track into the Gulf and then perhaps swing toward Louisiana or Florida," AccuWeather Lead Long-Range Meteorologist Paul Pastelok said. "Should it wait till later next week or perhaps hold off until nearly the middle of the month, steering breezes would be more likely to take it into southern Mexico or Central America." It appears that the latter option, with movement toward Mexico or Central America, is more likely, according to AccuWeather. Historically, tropical cyclones form close to the U.S. in June, with the most common locations being the northwestern Caribbean and the eastern Gulf, according to Dr. Ryan Truchelut, chief meteorologist with WeatherTiger. Truchelut is a Florida meteorologist who works with the USA TODAY Network. "None of the reputable forecast models are showing a realistic chance of anything tropical forming on the Atlantic side of Central America through mid-month." ➤ WeatherTiger: False alarms, beneficial rain and a dusty start to Florida storm season The exception is the GFS model, which is predicting a Caribbean tropical storm will spin up in 10 to 12 days, then move generally northward, Truchelut said. "The GFS has a persistent and well-known bias for incorrectly predicting development in the Caribbean at this specific time of year," Truchelut said. "All told, while something could eventually spin up in two or three weeks, the GFS' frequent false alarms should be disregarded." The GFS model, which stands for Global Forecast System, is the weather prediction model operated by the National Weather Service. In addition to providing data for a wide range of forecasts, it's also used for hurricane tracking. Here's what you can expect from the weather June 7 around Florida: , western Panhandle: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly in mid-afternoon. Sunny, with a high near 91. Southwest wind 5 to 15 mph. Tonight there's a 10 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 7 p.m. Mostly clear, with a low around 79. Southwest wind around 10 mph. , central Panhandle: Showers and thunderstorms likely mid-afternoon. Patchy fog before 8 a.m. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 92. Heat index values as high as 106. West southwest wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible. Tonight, a 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 8 p.m. Partly cloudy, with a low around 75. Southwest wind around 5 mph. , Northeast Florida: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 3 p.m. Partly sunny, with a high near 94. Heat index values as high as 102. West wind 9 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph. Tonight, a 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 9 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 76. Southwest wind around 11 mph, with gusts as high as 17 mph. to , east-central Florida: A slight chance of showers, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms. Sunny, with highs in the high 80s and low 90s. West southwest wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. to , South Florida: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1 p.m. Sunny, with highs in the mid-80s. Southwest wind 5 to 11 mph becoming southeast in the afternoon. A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 9 p.m. Mostly clear, with a low around 79. Southwest wind 9 to 14 mph. to , west-southwest Florida: Isolated showers and thunderstorms to the southern areas after 2 p.m. and mostly clear in Sarasota. Sunny, with highs near in the mid-80s to low 90s. Heat index values as high as 97. Calm wind. Tonight, mostly clear, with a lows in the mid-to-high 70s. A "wall of dust" moved through Florida and the dust plume was expected to stretch along the Gulf Coast and portions of the southwest Atlantic coast through June 6. Those conditions, which produce vivid sunrises and sunsets, along with hazy skies, along with dirty spots on cars and other objects when it rains, should dissipate this weekend. Another dust plume is expected in about a week, which has its advantages. Dust in the atmosphere helps prevent the formation or strengthening of tropical systems. The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 through Nov. 30. Ninety-seven percent of tropical cyclone activity occurs during this time period, NOAA said. The Atlantic basin includes the northern Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea and Gulf of America, as the Gulf of Mexico is now known in the U.S. per an order from President Trump. NOAA and the National Hurricane Center are now using Gulf of America on its maps and in its advisories. The peak of the season is Sept. 10, with the most activity happening between mid-August and mid-October, according to the Hurricane Center. Systems currently being monitored by the National Hurricane Center include: Tropical cyclone is the generic term used by the National Weather Service, NOAA and the National Hurricane Center for any tropical system, even if it's in the tropical Atlantic basin. To be more precise, a tropical cyclone is a "rotating, organized system of clouds and thunderstorms that originates over tropical or subtropical waters and has closed, low-level circulation," NOAA said. Once maximum sustained winds reach 74 mph, what it is called is determined by where it originated: : for storms in the North Atlantic, central North Pacific, and eastern North Pacific. : for storms in the Northwest Pacific. : for storms in the South Pacific and Indian Ocean. We will update our tropical weather coverage daily. Download your local site's app to ensure you're always connected to the news. And look for our special subscription offers here. This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Hurricane Center tracks wave on weekend expected to be clear
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
NOAA predicts plenty of hurricanes in 2025: What to know at a glance
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration released its predictions for the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season on Thursday, May 22, and if you live along the coast or anywhere hurricanes impact, you may want to consider preparing for it now as we're looking at the potential for another season of above average activity. "Warm sea surface temperatures are probably the No. 1 contributor to the whole thing," said Ken Graham, director of the National Weather Service. "Not much wind shear. "Wind shear tears the storms apart. We don't expect a lot of wind shear and the African monsoons, conducive spots to be able to launch out the waves, launch out the storms — everything's in place for an above average season." The season is expected to be much like last year. There were 18 named storms in 2024 with six hurricanes and five major hurricanes including Hurricane Helene which caused destruction in five states and became one of the deadliest storms in recent history. Colorado State University is predicting the following for the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season: 17 named storms 9 hurricanes 4 major hurricanes AccuWeather is predicting the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season could bring: Direct U.S. impacts: 3-6 Named storms: 13-18 Hurricanes: 7-10 Major hurricanes: 3-5 NOAA is predicting a 60% chance of an above average season, a 30% chance of it being average and a 10% chance of it being below average season. Here are the predicted numbers. Named storms: 13-19 Hurricanes: 6-10 Major hurricanes: 3-5 More: Five things to know about Katrina, one of the nation's worst natural disasters Named storms: 14 Hurricanes: 7 Major hurricanes: 3 Here are the names for the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season and how to pronounce them. Andrea: AN-dree uh Barry: BAIR-ree Chantal: shahn-TAHL Dexter: DEHK-ster Erin: AIR-rin Fernand: fair-NAHN Gabrielle: ga-bree-ELL Humberto: oom-BAIR-toh Imelda: ee-MEHL-dah Jerry: JEHR-ee Karen: KAIR-ren Lorenzo: loh-REN-zoh Melissa: meh-LIH-suh Nestor: NES-tor Olga: OAL-guh Pablo: PAHB-lo Rebekah: reh-BEH-kuh Sebastien: se-BAS-tee-en Tanya: TAHN-yuh Van: van Wendy: WEN-dee The best time to prepare for a hurricane is before the season begins on June 1. It's vitally important to understand your home's vulnerability to storm surge, flooding, and wind. Here is a checklist of things to do before hurricane seasons begins. Know your zone: Do you live near the Gulf or Atlantic Coasts? Find out if you live in a hurricane evacuation area by contacting your local government/emergency management office or by checking the evacuation site website. Put Together an Emergency Kit: Put together a basic emergency. Check emergency equipment, such as flashlights, generators and storm shutters. Write or review your Family Emergency Plan: Before an emergency happens, sit down with your family or close friends and decide how you will get in contact with each other, where you will go, and what you will do in an emergency. Keep a copy of this plan in your emergency supplies kit or another safe place where you can access it in the event of a disaster. Start at the emergency plan webpage. Review Your Insurance Policies: Review your insurance policies to ensure that you have adequate coverage for your home and personal property. Understand NWS forecast products, especially the meaning of NWS watches and warnings. Preparation tips for your home from the Federal Alliance for Safe Homes Cheryl McCloud of the USA Today Network contributed to this report. Do you have a story idea? Contact Brian Broom at 601-961-7225 or bbroom@ This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Hurricane season 2025: What to know about the weather forecast
Yahoo
20 hours ago
- Yahoo
June 2025 full moon: It's been years since you've seen one that looks like this
June 2025's full moon is coming to a sky near you in the early morning hours of June 11. And while all June full moons ride low in the sky, spring's final full moon this year will be the lowest full moon in almost 20 years. The strawberry moon will rise on the evening of Tuesday, June 10, and will shine into Wednesday morning, a "sight that can be seen around the world," said Brian Lada, an AccuWeather meteorologist. June's full moon is called the strawberry moon because it signaled to some Native American tribes that it was the time of year to gather ripening wild strawberries, according to the Old Farmer's Almanac. Notably, this year's strawberry moon could actually have a reddish glow, due to how low it will sit in the sky and the haze from wildfires. June's full moon will reach peak illumination on June 11, 2025, at 3:44 a.m. ET, the Almanac said. But it will look plenty full as it rises the evening before, June 10. The strawberry moon is the most colorful of the year because it takes a low, shallow path across the sky, said Bob Bonadurer, director of the Milwaukee Public Museum's planetarium. The June full moon's arc across the sky means moonlight must travel through more of the Earth's atmosphere, which can give it a colorful tint. "So there's a chance it will actually look a little bit reddish or pink, and, and so that may also be part of the origin of the name," Chris Palma, professor of astronomy and astrophysics at Penn State University, told AccuWeather. Smoke in the atmosphere from Canadian wildfires could also act to create a colorful moon. According to EarthSky, the moon will the lowest in the sky that it's been since 2006. "That's because we're in the midst of a major lunar standstill," which has to do with the moon's orbit around the Earth. "It's all about the inclination of the moon's orbit, which undergoes an 18.6-year cycle," noted EarthSky's John Jardine Goss. "The cycle happens because the moon's orbit is being slowly dragged around – mostly due to the pull of the sun – every 18.6 years." This year's major lunar standstill culminated in January 2025. And we're still close enough to it that the standstill is affecting the path of this June full moon, EarthSky said. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: A notable June 2025 Strawberry full moon visible on June 11
