Dozens of Record Lows Possible As Arctic Blast Grips Midwest, Northeast, South (FORECAST)

Chris Dolce
Published: February 17,2015



 
On the heels of Winter Storm Octavia, temperatures will plunge once again in the central and eastern United States.
This follows two surges of bitter cold air that engulfed these regions late last week into Monday, resulting in record lows and the coldest temperatures in years for some cities.
(RECAP: Arctic Blast Duo)
In fact, Monday morning, Erie, Pennsylvania tied its all-time record low of -18 degrees, set on January 19, 1994.
Later this week, dozens of record low temperatures will be threatened, and lows in the single digits above and below zero could reach all the way into parts of the South. Some cities could even come close to their all-time record lows for the entire month of February.
This latest reinforcing shot of cold air arrived in the Upper Midwest on Tuesday. From there, it dives into the South and spreads east through the end of the week.
The swath of snow cover left behind by Winter Storm Octavia will play a role in just how cold it gets. Places that see significant snowfall are much more prone to see extreme cold on at least one night later this week, as snow cover radiates (loses) energy to outer space quickly. Where skies are clear, this can result in rapid temperature drops (clouds reflect some of that lost energy back to earth).
Daily forecast details are below.

Arctic Invasion Begins

- Wednesday morning lows: Teens and 20s below zero in parts of North Dakota and northern Minnesota. Single-digit lows possible as far south as portions of Kentucky and Missouri. Snow cover from Octavia will likely play a role in where the coldest morning lows set up. Wind chills will be in the 20s, 30s and possibly the 40s below zero in the Upper Midwest.
- Wednesday highs: Up to 30 degrees below average in the Midwest, with highs mainly in the single digits and teens. Parts of the Northeast and Southeast, including Florida, will be 10 to 20 degrees below average.

(MORE: Your City's Forecast)

Up to 40 Degrees Below Average; Subzero Lows in the Mid-South

- Thursday morning lows: Record lows will be threatened in about five dozen locations across parts of the South, Midwest and East. Subzero lows are possible as far south as Nashville, Tennessee, and Asheville, North Carolina. Wind chills in the 20s below zero possible as far south as the Ohio Valley. Lows in Florida range from the 20s in the north to the 40s in the south.
- Potential record lows (current record in parentheses): Charlotte, North Carolina (8 degrees) | Baltimore (5 degrees) | Louisville, Kentucky (0 degrees) | Chicago (minus 7 degrees)
- If Nashville falls below zero Thursday morning, it will be the latest in the season with a temperature of zero degrees or lower in the city since records began in 1871. Also, it would be only the 13th time in February with a subzero low in the Music City.
- Paducah, Kentucky could threaten its all-time February record low of minus 14 degrees (Feb. 2, 1951) and its all-time record low for any month of minus 15 degrees (Jan. 20, 1985).
- Thursday highs: Up to 40 degrees below average from the Mississippi River Valley eastward. Single digits, teens and 20s for highs from the Upper Midwest to the Mid-South and Northeast. Temperatures will be 10 to 25 degrees below average in Florida, with highs ranging from the 40s in north Florida to the middle 60s in Miami.
(MORE: Your City's Forecast)

Frigid Temperatures Continue; February Record Lows Threatened

- Friday morning lows: Record lows will be threatened in more than six dozen locations across the East, from New England to Florida. Subzero lows or single digit lows from the Upper Midwest to the Northeast. Single digits are possible as far south as North Carolina and Tennessee. Widespread wind chills in the teens and 20s below zero across the Northeast. Florida lows range from the upper 20s in the north to 40s in the south.
- Potential record lows (current record in parentheses): Boston (0 degrees) | New York City (7 degrees) | Washington, D.C. (8 degrees) | Raleigh, North Carolina (13 degrees) | Miami (42 degrees)
- All-time February record lows possible (current record in parentheses): Knoxville, Tennessee (minus 10 degrees), Roanoke, Virginia (minus 1 degrees), and Charleston, West Virginia (minus 12 degrees)
- Coldest So Late in the Season?: Memphis, Tennessee, Norfolk Virginia, Lexington, Kentucky and Toledo, Ohio are among the cities that could see their coldest temperatures for this late in the winter season.
- Coldest Since 1994? A low of 4 degrees or colder in Washington, D.C. would be the coldest temperature there since January 1994. A low of minus ten degrees or colder would also be the coldest temperature since January 1994 in Louisville, Kentucky. If Charleston, West Virginia reaches minus 13 degrees or colder, it would be the coldest reading there since January 1994.
- Friday highs: 10 to 25 degrees below average from Maine to Florida.
(MORE: Your City's Forecast)

More Record Lows Possible This Weekend

- Below-average temperatures will continue Saturday in much of the Midwest and Northeast.
- Our forecast shows that more than a dozen locations in the Northeast could threaten daily record lows on Saturday morning.

PHOTOS: Winter Storm Octavia