An Arctic blast has arrived in the United States, plunging the northern Plains states into subzero temperatures. The frigid air is expected to creep further into the U.S. as the week goes on, with nearly three dozen states experiencing subzero temperatures by Thursday or Friday.
Meteorologists have predicted the blast to target much of the U.S. in the days leading up to Christmas. The rush of much colder than normal air is expected to be accompanied by blizzard-like conditions that could halt holiday travel and bitter, gusty wind that could plummet wind chill temperatures to as high as minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit in some areas.
Northern Plains states like Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming have already been hit with subzero temperatures and are expected to endure the arctic blast the longest. On Tuesday, the subzero temperatures began to creep into Nebraska, Colorado, Iowa and Wisconsin and are expected to continue their descent into the southern Plains states later this week.
AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Thomas Kines told Newsweek that 32 states will likely experience subzero temperatures this week.
"The lowest temperatures will be across Montana, Wyoming and North Dakota. Low temperatures in those states will be in the minus 30s, especially in Montana and Wyoming," Kines said. "There can be a few spots in Montana and Wyoming where temperatures fall below minus 40."
The National Weather Service (NWS) forecasted that temperatures will continue to fall.
"The aforementioned repository of dangerous arctic air over the northern Plains and western Canada is expected to dump southward following behind the system crossing the Pacific Northwest today," an update from the NWS said Tuesday.
"Subzero readings with minimum values nearing minus 20 and minus 30 degrees over the northern tier will enter into the northern Great Basin, northern Rockies, and much of the Great Plains by Thursday."
Wind gusts reaching 60 miles per hour could cause wind chill values of minus 40 degrees or colder through the central and north-central U.S. The NWS warned that the severe cold is life-threatening and can cause frostbite on exposed skin in as little as 10 minutes.
By Thursday, subzero temperatures will hit Kansas, with some meteorologists forecasting lows in Oklahoma and in the Texas panhandle as subzero as well. The arctic blast will continue its eastward path, hitting the Midwestern states and plunging Missouri, Illinois and Indiana into single-digit temperatures with forecast lows of several degrees below zero.
Accompanying the severe cold will be extreme winds, blizzard-like conditions for a large swath of the United States and heavy rain and more wind for the east coast.
The Arctic blast will have left many states by the end of the weekend, but the northern Plains are forecasted to still be experiencing subzero temperatures on Saturday that may begin to rise into single digits by Sunday.
Update 12/20/22, 12 p.m. ET: This article was updated with comment by AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Thomas Kines.
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Anna Skinner is a Newsweek senior reporter based in Indianapolis. Her focus is reporting on the climate, environment and weather ... Read more
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