Dangerous Arctic Blast Set to Pummel Eastern US With Bone-Chilling Cold and Crippling Snowstorm

A brutal Arctic air mass is poised to descend on the eastern United States within days, threatening life and limb with dangerously frigid temperatures and a powerful snowstorm that could bury New York City under up to 30 centimetres of snow. The extreme weather event has meteorologists issuing urgent warnings for residents to limit outdoor exposure and prepare for potentially crippling conditions.

Arctic Air Mass to Send Temperatures Plummeting 30 Degrees Below Normal

The bone-chilling cold front is expected to peak later this week with New York City temperatures dropping into the low teens whilst Chicago, parts of Michigan, and upstate New York face frigid single-digit readings. 'It is dangerously cold', AccuWeather senior meteorologist Tom Kines told The Post. 'This Arctic air — an Arctic blast — is coming. It's going to get worse before it gets better'.

The freezing weather will strike the Northeast over the weekend as much of the region endures temperatures roughly 30 degrees below average for late January. As the Arctic blast blows in from Canada, residents in the worst-hit areas — including parts of Minnesota and Illinois — risk hypothermia if they remain outside for more than a couple of hours without proper clothing, Kines said.

Meteorologists Warn Residents to Respect the Cold and Layer Up

'If you have to go outside, respect the cold', Kines advised, warning people to layer up and only venture out if necessary. 'When it's that cold, it actually hurts sometimes when you first breathe in'.

Power outages pose an additional threat as residents crank up heating systems and potentially overwhelm the grid, he said.

New York City Braces for Potentially Historic Snowfall on 26 January

In New York City, the mercury will plunge into the low teens over the weekend as a snowstorm strikes 26 January. If the massive winter storm intensifies as it moves east, New York City could be slammed with more than a foot of snow by Monday morning, 27 January, according to FOX Weather, which cited computer forecast models. Philadelphia and parts of New Jersey could also see up to a foot of snow.

Should the Big Apple receive a foot of snow, it would mark the most significant accumulation in the city since February 2021, when 16.8 inches fell in Central Park over a two-day period. The storm is expected to dump 'at least enough to shovel and plough' in the five boroughs, Kines said.

Temperature Forecast Shows Brutal Cold Through Next Week

Temperatures in New York City are expected to be more moderate 22 January with a high of 7°C (45°F) and a low of -2°C (29°F) before the cold snap intensifies. The 23 January will be partly sunny with a high of 2°C (36°F) and a low of -11°C (12°F). On 24 January, the city will experience a bitterly cold high of -7°C (19°F) and a low of -11°C (12°F).

Temperatures will then reach a high of -7°C (20°F) and a low of -9°C (15°F) as the storm dumps snow on the city. Warming is not expected until after next week, Kines said. 'So if you don't like the cold, you better jump on a plane soon'.