An urgent warning has been issued for 235 million Americans as a ‘life-threatening’ polar vortex will drop temperatures as low as -50F.
The bitter cold is set to hit Monday and linger until Wednesday, impacting regions from the Gulf Coast to New England, the Great Lakes and the Midwest.
It is already so cold in Washington, DC today that the inauguration of President Donald Trump has been moved indoors.
Meteorologists warned that the freezing temperatures will put added stress on heating systems and the power grids, force schools to shutter and pose a high risk of frostbite, hypothermia and immune system impacts.
A rare winter storm is also set to hit at the same time, blanketing the southern US in snow and ice.
Winter Storm Enzo is expected to hit states along the Gulf Coast, including southern portions of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina, as well as the Florida panhandle, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).
Snow and ice will develop in Texas and Louisiana Monday night before spreading eastward across the South.
The storm is expected to create dangerous travel conditions across the affected region, including in coastal areas where winter weather is rare.
A ‘rare’ winter storm is set to blanket the southern US in snow and ice as the entire East sees temperatures plunge to their lowest point this winter. Florence, KY; January 6, 2025
When Winter Storm Enzo moves into the South tonight, it will bring a mix of snow, sleet and freezing rain to southern Texas and Louisiana, especially near and south of Interstate 20 to the Gulf Coast, according to the Weather Channel.
Multiple metro areas will be impacted Monday night, including Houston, San Antonio, Austin, Corpus Christi and Galveston in Texas as well as New Orleans and Alexandria in Louisiana.
By Tuesday, the storm will gain strength, bringing moderate to major impacts from eastern Texas to southern Mississippi, including Houston and New Orleans.
‘Closures, dangerous travel, power and other infrastructure disruptions are possible,’ the Weather Channel reported.
One to three inches of snow could accumulate from southeast Texas into Louisiana, southern Mississippi, with locally higher totals predicted in parts of both states.
‘Where bands of heavier snowfall rates develop we could see higher totals of up to a half-foot, especially in southern Louisiana and southeast Texas,’ the Weather Channel reported.
Enzo will then spread snow and ice eastward along the Gulf Coast, reaching parts of Alabama and Georgia, the Florida Panhandle and the Carolinas and delivering one to three inches of snow by Tuesday night.
In general, areas north of Interstate 10 can expect snow, while locations south of this highway should see a wintery mix.
Winter Storm Enzo is expected to hit states along the Gulf Coast, including southern portions of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina, as well as the Florida panhandle, according to the National Weather Service (NWS)
By Wednesday, the storm will have blanketed a wide portion of the South in several inches of snow, and brought rain to most of Florida and the southern tip of Texas
And from the Florida panhandle to coastal South Carolina, as well as in southern Texas, accumulating ice could down tree branches and slicken roads.
Wind gusts up to 30 miles per hour are possible in areas immediately along the Gulf Coast, which could down tree limbs and cause visibility issues due to blowing snow.
The storm’s impact could spread northward toward Interstate 20, but meteorologists are currently uncertain about its extent. It is possible that hazardous travel conditions could stretch as far as Atlanta, Georgia, on Tuesday, but this remains to be seen.
By Wednesday morning, the storm will have mostly passed, but some snow and ice could linger in northeast Florida and the coast of the Carolinas.
‘Life-threatening’ cold temperatures generated by a polar vortex will be fueling Winter Storm Enzo, bringing potentially record-breaking cold to the South and the rest of the eastern US, AccuWeather reported.
States within Enzo’s path could experience feels-like temperatures of 10F to 30F, enhancing the chances of accumulating snowfall across the South.
But the core of this cold will hit the Midwest, arriving Monday and Monday night across portions of the Dakotas, Minnesota and Wisconsin.
During the day on Monday, actual temperatures will be below-zero in these areas, while overnight temperatures could drop as low as -20F to -30F.
Meanwhile, another blast of Arctic air is heading for the Eastern US . Meteorologists have warned 235million Americans from the Gulf Coast to New England, the Great Lakes and the Midwest to brace for ‘life-threatening’ cold weather
The core of this cold will hit the Midwest, arriving Monday and Monday night across portions of the Dakotas, Minnesota and Wisconsin, AccuWeather reported .
The cold will linger through midweek, putting strain on the energy supply as residents fight to keep their homes and businesses warm, AccuWeather reported.
By Tuesday and Wednesday, the Arctic air will expand further into the Great Lakes, the Eastern Seaboard and the Gulf Coast.
Northern New England and New York as well as western Pennsylvania, should see feels-like temperatures between -20F and -10F by Tuesday morning, with daytime temperatures only climbing as high as the upper teens in cities such as Philadelphia.
Much of this brutal cold will be fueled by gusty winds that can send feels-like temperatures plunging well below zero.
Northern New England and New York as well as western Pennsylvania, should see feels-like temperatures between -20F and -10F by Tuesday morning, with daytime temperatures only climbing as high as the upper teens. New Jersey; January 21, 2024
Much of this brutal cold will be fueled by gusty winds that can send feels-like temperatures plunging well below zero, according to AccuWeather. Cincinnati, OH; January 6, 2025
The risk of cold-related illnesses such as frostbite, hypothermia and lung or immune system impacts will be high due to these bitterly cold winds. New York, NY; January 8, 2025
‘In areas that experience windy conditions, like much of the Midwest early this week, AccuWeather RealFeel Temperatures can reach minus 40 to minus 50,’ Senior Meteorologist Adam Douty said.
‘It will feel brutally cold, and anyone adventuring outside can get frostbite on exposed skin in just a matter of minutes,’ he added.
The risk of cold-related illnesses such as frostbite, hypothermia and lung or immune system impacts will be high in areas impacted by these bitterly cold winds.
Experts recommend staying indoors as much as possible when it is this cold outside. But if you do have to spend extended periods of time outside, you should take extra measures to protect yourself against the life-threatening temperatures.
That includes making sure that all of your skin is covered, wearing multiple layers of clothing and taking breaks inside to warm up whenever you can.
