The first Arctic outbreak of the season allows temperatures to plunge in the eastern half of the country, creating “dangerously cold” wind chills of 15 to 30 degrees below zero in the Northern Plains and Upper Midwest.
As the Thanksgiving winter storm leaves the Northeast, it sucks Canada’s arctic air and allows cold air to travel as far as the Southeast.
On Black Friday, more than 200 million Americans are expected to experience below-average temperatures.
Wind chills are expected to fall well below freezing across the Northern Plains and Upper Midwest, according to the NOAA Weather Prediction Center.
Areas of the Dakotas and Minnesota will experience dangerously cold temperatures that could cause hypothermia and frostbite if unprotected skin is exposed. Some areas will drop to -30 to -40 degrees taking into account wind chill.
In the Northern Plains and Upper Midwest, temperatures could drop below -10°F, with wind chill making it feel even colder to around -20°F or lower. The coldest days would probably be between Sunday and Monday.
Farther south in the Midwest, lows could fall into the tens of degrees and wind chills could dip near -10°F. This could bring the coldest air of the season so far to many areas.
Winds will increase significantly as a strong arctic front moves through the region Monday through Tuesday.
Travelers to these areas should be sure to have a winter survival kit on hand.
The Southeast and south-central United States should also prepare for cold conditions from late November to early December.
Some places could experience their first frost of the season if it wasn’t already the case during the last cold snap.
The coldest air of the season will sweep across the Great Lakes, which are currently experiencing record warm water temperatures. This combination will trigger a long-lasting lake-effect snowstorm, beginning Friday and continuing through next week.
Nearly 1.5 million people are now under a lake-effect snowfall warning until at least Monday in parts of western New York, far northwest Pennsylvania and northeast Ohio, while Lakes Erie and Ontario keep the snow machine running.
“This is going to be a long-running event,” says Kirk Apffel, senior forecaster with NWS Buffalo. “We’re looking at Friday until at least Monday there’s going to be some snow in the area.”
The WPC said travel disruptions are likely, particularly on Interstate 90 between Cleveland and Buffalo and on Interstate 81 north of Syracuse, New York.
