Wave of cold air to settle over midwestern, northeastern US into the weekend

By Renee Duff, AccuWeather meteorologist

February 1,2017, 2:29:42PM,EST

 

 Winter’s chill will hold a firm grip on the midwestern and northeastern United States into the weekend.

The push of cold air reached the northern Plains on Tuesday and will continue to spill eastward during the first days of February.
For many areas from Minneapolis to Detroit to Boston, it will be the coldest stretch since early January.
Widespread highs in the teens and 20s F are in store across the northern Plains and Upper Midwest.
Combining the wind and other factors, AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures will fall 10 to 20 degrees below the actual temperature, despite some sunshine.

Temperatures will begin a downward trend in the Northeast beginning on Thursday and continuing into the weekend, according to AccuWeather Meteorologist Ryan Adamson.
Highs will be 5 to 10 degrees below normal during the time frame.
Average highs during the first days of February range from the upper 40s in Virginia to the upper 20s in Maine. Normal highs begin to trend upward during the month of February, generally climbing 1 degree every five to six days across the region.
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“The coldest days are likely to be Friday and Saturday in the Northeast,” Adamson said.
High temperatures in New York City and Boston will be within a few degrees of the freezing mark both days. Along the corridor from Washington, D.C., to Philadelphia, highs in the middle 30s to lower 40s are in store.

Overnight lows will dip into the teens across the interior Northeast, with 20s expected along the coast.
Those headed outdoors for any length of time may need an extra layer or two to combat the chill.
“With the colder air moving over the still relatively warmer Great Lakes, lake-effect snow will continue,” Adamson said.

Motorists should remain mindful that any snow showers could quickly reduce visibility and lead to dangerous driving conditions.
As lake-effect snow begins to shut off by Saturday, a new storm will take shape across the Midwest with the potential for snow from Minneapolis to Boston over the weekend.