A powerful cold front linked to the polar vortex is set to plunge temperatures across much of the U.S., bringing potentially dangerous conditions to nearly 300 million Americans. The vortex, which originates from Siberia, is forecast to dip into lower latitudes, leading to record-breaking cold as it moves through the country starting this weekend.
The polar vortex, a massive area of frigid air and low pressure, typically remains near the poles but can occasionally shift southward, as it is expected to do this January. Beginning on Saturday, January 18, the northern U.S. will experience temperatures in the single digits, with wind chills reaching the negative teens. By Sunday, January 19, the cold will intensify, especially across the Central Plains, where temperatures may plummet as much as 30 degrees below average.
By Monday, January 20, the freeze will extend as far as the Deep South, with cities like Atlanta seeing temperatures hover near freezing, accompanied by wind chills in the 20s. The extreme cold will also impact the Midwest, Rockies, and Plains, with some regions failing to rise above single-digit highs.
The weather will have significant effects, particularly for public events such as the presidential inauguration in Washington, D.C., which will see its coldest temperatures in 40 years, with wind chills expected to reach the single digits.
This severe cold snap will likely break at least 19 temperature records across the country. The event underscores the continued volatility of winter weather patterns and the growing impact of the polar vortex on U.S. climate systems.
Image by wal_172619 from Pixabay
