Published: February 19,2015
A frigid air mass with a connection to Siberia has sent temperatures tumbling across the central and eastern United States, and Friday morning appears likely to bring the most widespread and intense cold of the winter across the eastern U.S., putting daily and even monthly record lows in jeopardy.
This follows two blasts 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)
Daily record lows were set in several cities on Thursday morning, and dozens more will be threatened Friday before the cold retreats somewhat this weekend. Some cities have seen or are forecast to see their coldest temperatures since January of 1994 – something that happened in several Northeast cities last week.
Freezing temperatures are expected to reach well into Florida, and much of the state is under freeze warnings for Friday morning.
Daily forecast details are below.
Arctic Invasion Begins
Wednesday Recap: Highs were up to 30 degrees below average in the Midwest, with highs mainly in the single digits and teens. In fact, the Twin Cities topped out at just 2 degrees Wednesday, or 28 degrees below average.Parts of the Northeast and Southeast, including Florida, were 10 to 20 degrees below average. For example, Pensacola, Florida topped out at a brisk 53 Wednesday, 11 degrees below average, after a frosty morning low of 29.
According to the National Weather Service in Chicago, the Windy City has not had a high temperature below 10 degrees this late in the winter since 1963. And on Wednesday, Chicago's high was only 8 degrees. The average high for Feb. 18 in Chicago is 36.
(MORE: Your City's Forecast)
Up to 40 Degrees Below Average; Subzero Lows in the Mid-South
Thursday morning lows: Lows in the single digits were recorded as far south as northern Georgia and northern Alabama. Widespread subzero lows were reported as far south as Kentucky and Tennessee. Teens and 20s below zero were recorded in parts of Minnesota, Wisconsin and northern Michigan. A few spots in northern Minnesota were in the minus 30s and even the minus 40s. The coldest temperature reported was minus 43 degrees near Cotton, Minnesota.Daily record lows were set in the following cities: Chicago (minus 8 degrees), Louisville, Kentucky (minus 3 degrees), Paducah, Kentucky (minus 10 degrees), Lexington, Kentucky (minus 8 degrees), Bowling Green, Kentucky (minus 7 degrees), Greensboro, North Carolina (10 degrees), Nashville, Tennessee (5 degrees - tie), Cincinnati, Ohio (minus 6 degrees), Springfield, Missouri (minus 5 degrees), Asheville, North Carolina (3 degrees) and Lynchburg, Virginia (4 degrees).
For Bowling Green, Kentucky, and Paducah, Kentucky, Thursday morning was the coldest since Jan. 19, 1994 with lows of minus 7 degrees and minus 10 degrees, respectively. In Lexington, Kentucky, the low of minus 8 degrees was the coldest temperature there since Feb. 4, 1996.
Thursday highs: Bitterly cold weather lasted all day across much of the eastern half of the country Thursday.
Highs in both Lexington, Kentucky, and Charleston, West Virginia, were 40 degrees below average based on preliminary data. Highs were at least 30 degrees below average from Chicago to Nashville to Atlanta to Pittsburgh. Atlanta's high only reached 28, the first time Georgia's capital has had a subfreezing high temperature this late in the season since March 2, 1980.
(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 Georgia, 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 upper 30s or low 40s in Atlantic coastal areas of South Florida as well as the Keys.Potential daily 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): Roanoke, Virginia (minus 1 degree last tied in 1996) | Charleston, West Virginia (minus 12 degrees in 1996) | Cincinnati (minus 17 degrees in 1899) | Cleveland (minus 16 degrees in 1899)
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
Saturday: Below-average temperatures will continue in much of the Midwest and Northeast. Our forecast shows that more than a dozen locations in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic could threaten daily record lows on Saturday morning.Potential record lows (current record in parentheses): Richmond, Virginia (13 degrees) | Baltimore (8 degrees) | Newark (1 degree)
Siberian Connection
This tweet from winter weather expert Tom Niziol of The Weather Channel shows the origin of this frigid air mass. The red line traces the air mass back to Siberia in Russia. It then crossed over the North Pole on its way to Canada and into the United States. This is what meteorologists sometimes refer to as the "Siberian Express".
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