Extreme Cold Weather to Grip Much of the United States

By Anna Breuer on 26 December 2017
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A Delta aircraft being deiced at LaGuardia

A Delta aircraft being deiced at LaGuardia

Much of the nation is expected to experience an unforgiving cold snap in the coming days that will continue well into the New Year.

The cold wave is expected to set records, cause travel delays, and result in some power outages. The big freeze began on Christmas Eve in the Pacific Northwest, moving to the Northern Rockies and much of the eastern half of the country. Temperatures are expected to drop 30 degrees below normal before things warm up.

The frigid weather resulted in over 7,500 flight delays and 250 flight cancellations on Tuesday, one of the busiest travel days of the year.

As frigid Arctic air moved across the Great Lakes, it produced monumental amounts of snow. Erie, Pennsylvania, saw some 53” of snow fall in a 30-hour period that started Christmas Day. Seattle received an inch of snow both on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day for the first time on record, and Boston was struck by thunder snow.

Meanwhile, windchill temperatures Tuesday morning in North Dakota and northern Minnesota hit -40° F (-40° C) and the icy air will move eastward as the week progresses. Those areas of North Dakota and Minnesota are expected to see windchill temperatures as low as -60° F (-51° C) towards the end of the week.

New York City is expected to see average high temperatures around 19° F or -7° C throughout the week, with lows hitting 8° F (-13° C) as the city welcomes the New Year in Time Square.

(Photo: Accura Media Group)

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