…Dangerously cold temperatures and wind chill values to linger for much
of the South and eastern third of the nation through mid-week…
…Rare winter storm to bring heavy snow as well as areas of sleet and
freezing rain to the Gulf Coast and Southeast with widespread impacts…
…Extremely Critical Risk of Fire Weather for southern California will
continue into Tuesday…
A bitterly cold arctic airmass is currently in place for locations east of
the Rockies with well below average temperatures extending from the High
Plains to the East Coast. Wind chill values of 40 to 55 degrees below zero
will linger within the core of the coldest air from the northern Plains
into the Upper Mississippi Valley through Tuesday morning. Wind chill
values that are below zero will affect a broad portion of the lower 48
extending from the southern High Plains into the Ohio River Valley and
northern Mid-Atlantic region with wind chills in the teens and single
digits possible for portions of the Gulf Coast. These extreme cold
conditions will pose a risk of hypothermia to individuals not dressed
appropriately as well pose potential for frozen pipes and damage to
sensitive vegetation.
While much warmer temperatures are forecast for the northern Plains
tomorrow, the cold temperatures will continue from the Midwest to the
southern Plains to the East Coast tomorrow and Wednesday. High
temperatures for these regions on Tuesday are expected to be 20 to 30
degrees below mid-January averages and lows will drop below freezing for
all locations east of the Rockies except for central and southern Florida.
With the cold air in place, wintry precipitation is expected to overspread
south-central Texas to the central Gulf Coast tonight as an upper level
disturbance passes over the southern Plains. Snow or a snow/sleet mix is
likely for cities from San Antonio to Houston and New Orleans to Albany,
GA while freezing rain falls on South Texas and portions of southern
Georgia and northern Florida as the unusual winter storm tracks east on
Tuesday/Tuesday night. A narrow stripe of 4 to 6 inches will be possible
from southeastern Texas into southern Louisiana. Light accumulations of
snow are expected from the Florida Panhandle to the beaches of the
Carolinas. This winter storm is likely to result in major travel
disruptions, including significant traffic impacts on area highways, power
outages as well as flight delays/cancellations for these areas that are
not accustomed to impactful winter weather.
Conditions will begin to warm for the western U.S. into the middle of the
week but the continued dry conditions and dangerous Santa Ana winds will
contribute to Extremely Critical fire weather conditions for southern
California through the remainder of today into at least Tuesday morning.
Winds for coastal locations could gust into the 50-70 mph range while wind
gusts to near 100 mph will be possible in the mountains and foothills.
While some improvement is possible later on Tuesday, conditions will
remain dangerous with additional rounds of gusty offshore winds which will
continue through Wednesday.
Elsewhere, bands of heavy lake effect snow will continue the next couple
of days for favorable downwind locations of the Great Lakes with
persistent northwesterly flow in place.
Otto
Graphics available at
https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php