Arctic Outbreak Will Make November Feel Like January

The coldest air of the season so far is racing southward across the Central states this week. A second blast of Arctic air will push into the Midwest and East this weekend. The arrival of the cold air will be accompanied by snow in many locations.

Air originating from above the Arctic Circle will race southeastward across the Plains during the middle of the week and will reach the Midwest Friday.


The frigid air will be accompanied by strong, gusty winds that will drive windchill temperatures to painful levels for those who have to be outdoors for any length of time, without warm clothing.

The air mass has been producing below-zero temperatures on the North Slope of Alaska, and while it will modify moving southward and eastward, it will mean business as it enters the United States.

The same air mass due to enter the U.S. this week was producing temperatures ranging from 10 to 50 below zero over parts of Canada's Yukon and Northwest Territories Tuesday morning.

As the Arctic air sweeps in it will replace temperatures in the 50s, 60s and 70s with temperatures in the teens, 20s and 30s. In portions of the Plains and Midwest, this transition will occur in a matter of hours.
Gusts past 40 mph will be frequent and could cause flight delays as the waves of cold air spread from the northern Plains to the Midwest and East.

From parts of Montana to North Dakota and Minnesota, high temperatures will be in the teens for one or more days with windchill temperatures hovering in the single digits and dipping below zero at times.

Farther south from parts of South Dakota and Nebraska, eastward to Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Indiana and Ohio, highs will be in the 20s on one or more days with RealFeel temperatures in the teens and single digits.

As the cold air pushes southward, it will produce a period of snow along the Front Range of the Rockies, including Denver. Snow will also mark the arrival of cold air over the Upper Midwest, with rain falling farther south.

Portions of the central Appalachians and the Ohio Valley will have the first day with subfreezing temperatures throughout the daylight hours Sunday.

For those combing through debris in search of valuables and irreplaceable items in the wake of the devastating Midwest tornadoes, the cold wave with its biting winds will be an additional hardship.

The Arctic outbreak will also unleash a round of flurries and locally heavy lake-effect snow from the Upper Midwest to the central Appalachians. There is the potential for a foot or more of snow, where the bands of snow persist.