Arctic Blast Brings Extreme Cold to Lower 48 States

Temperatures are forecast to drop up to 60 degrees below normal, potentially breaking hundreds of records and affecting major population centers.

An extreme cold front is surging from the Arctic into the Lower 48 states, with temperatures forecast to be up to 60 degrees below normal in some areas, potentially breaking hundreds of records.
The cold front is expected to affect major population centers, including Denver, Des Moines, Minneapolis, Chicago, St. Louis, Oklahoma City and Dallas, with temperatures dropping below zero in areas home to more than 50 million Americans.
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) has issued a weather watch due to the anticipated high heating demand, although the grid is expected to hold.
NFL playoff games in Kansas City and Buffalo and the Iowa caucuses are set to take place in icy conditions.
The cold front follows a mild start to winter, with temperatures in the northern contiguous United States about five to 10 degrees above average since December 1.