Overview
- National Weather Service guidance flags the potential for record lows from the Midwest to the Mid-Atlantic, with subzero readings in parts of the Plains and Midwest and single digits spreading into New England by Friday morning.
- An arctic front sweeping east is triggering snow squalls across interior sections of the Northeast, with warnings issued in Pennsylvania and New York and officials urging drivers to slow down or delay travel due to sudden whiteouts and flash-freeze conditions.
- Lake-effect bands are producing localized moderate snow downwind of the Upper Great Lakes and Lake Ontario, while Winter Storm Watches in the Cascades and northern Rockies call for 8–14 inches and up to 2–3 feet at high elevations.
- Dangerous wind chills are expected Thursday into Friday, with values as low as 15 to 25 below zero reported in parts of the Upper Midwest and subzero wind chills forecast for major cities including Chicago, Detroit and Boston.
- The coldest period centers on Thursday and Friday before temperatures moderate over the weekend, and forecasters note the active pattern could deliver another shot of Arctic air early next week.