Cold Temperatures Engulf Central, East; Snow in Midwest, Great Lakes

By: By Chris Dolce

Published: October 21,2013

 

 

 

 

 

Surges of cold air will engulf the central and eastern states this week as a dip in the jet stream dominates to the east of the Rockies.
As a result, we will see a widespread area of cold temperatures spreading south and east during the week ahead. We have the details on this late-October chill, including where we could see a frost, freeze and even some snow.
(MAP: Current Temperatures)

Late-October Chill

Monday's Highs

Wednesday's Highs

Friday's Highs

During the past weekend, an initial blast of chilly air moved into the Upper Midwest and Great Lakes.
Yet another shot of even colder air is diving south, which has dropped temperatures 10 to 20 degrees below average across most of the Midwest. This second blast of cold air will also surge into the southern and eastern states by Wednesday. By late week, another reinforcing shot of cold air will take over the central and eastern states. The three temperature forecast maps to the right illustrate the falling temperatures from the start to the end of the week.
Highs in the 40s will keep Chicago shivering throughout the new work week.
(HIGHS: Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri)
Portions of North Dakota, northern Minnesota, northern Wisconsin and northern Michigan will not get out of the 30s at times during the week ahead.
In the South, afternoon temperatures in the 50s are possible Wednesday and Friday in parts of Tennessee, northern Arkansas, northern Mississippi, northern Alabama, northern Georgia and North Carolina.
Of course, morning temperatures will be even colder. Many locations in the Midwest will see lows in the upper 20s and low 30s at times through the week ahead. By late week, lows in the 30s are possible as far south as northern Georgia and northern Alabama.
(LOWS: Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri)
Some cities will see their first frost or freeze of the season this week, particularly from the southern Great Lakes to the Ohio Valley and Tennessee Valley. This includes Chicago, Indianapolis, Ind., Louisville, Ky. and Nashville, Tenn.
(MAP: Frost/Freeze Alerts)

Snowflakes Flying in the Midwest

Tuesday's Forecast

Wednesday's Forecast

With the cold air in place, we've seen some snowflakes flying through the air near the Canadian border the past two days.
International Falls, Minn. saw its first measurable snow of the season this past weekend. Snowflakes were also observed in Fargo, N.D. and Duluth, Minn.
(RAIN/SNOW FORECAST: Mon | Tue | Wed)
A second upper-level disturbance rotating through the northern Great Lakes may bring another round of wet snow Monday into early Tuesday from northern Minnesota to northern Michigan.
Monday night through Tuesday night, another weak disturbance diving southeastward out of Canada could also squeeze out some wet snow or rain mixed with snow from the Dakotas to as far south as southern Minnesota, northern Iowa, northern Illinois, northern Indiana and southern Michigan. Some light accumulations are possible from the Dakotas into northern Iowa.
(MORE: 48-Hour Snowfall Forecast)
By Wednesday, if there is enough moisture in the atmosphere, we could see a light mixture of rain and snow around the Great Lakes and in the central Appalachians.
(INTERACTIVE: When Does Snow Arrive?)

PHOTOS: Winter Storm Atlas Oct. 3-5, 2013

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Winter Storm Atlas Snow Reports

Snowfall totals observed during the height of Winter Storm Atlas, October 2013.