Overview
- The National Weather Service confirmed numerous daily record lows in the Midwest on Thursday, including six in Iowa, with Waterloo dropping to -15°F and more than 40 records reported nationwide.
- By Friday the Northeast was locked in its coldest air since last winter, with wind chills as low as -31 on New Hampshire’s Mount Washington and many communities stuck below freezing.
- Washington, D.C., issued its first Extreme Cold Alert of the season, urging residents to limit outdoor exposure and activating shelter resources.
- Forecast centers, including AccuWeather and Fox Weather, expect another surge early next week and a third the following week, with flurries and occasional snow squalls likely around the Great Lakes and northern Appalachians.
- Meteorologists warn of spikes in heating demand and say the most intense cold targets the Northern Plains through the Northeast, while Texas and much of the Deep South face only modest temperature drops.