Weather warning as ‘arctic express’ jet stream is set to blast dozens of states with sub-zero temperatures

The ‘arctic express’ will hit the eastern US this week with another round of frigid air, sending temperatures 10 to 20 degrees Celsius below average.

The jet stream will bring a blast of cold air through the Midwest, Northeast and Southeast starting January 15, with some states experiencing temperatures that feel as low as -30F.

However, heavy lake-effect snow — which forms when cold air moves over the relatively warm surface of a lake — could fall downwind of the Great Lakes, and some snow showers could affect the Midwest and Northeast states.

While the East braces for freezing temperatures, the West Coast is poised for a resurgence of the Santa Ana winds that have sparked deadly wildfires in Southern California.

The winds died down this weekend, giving firefighters much-needed time to gain some control over three active fires that are still scorching the Los Angeles metro area.

But the Palisades and Eaton fires, the two largest and deadliest, are still burning at just 13 and 27 percent, respectively.

The hot, dry, hurricane-force winds should return Monday afternoon and continue through Wednesday, reaching speeds of 60 to 100 mph.

The National Weather Service (NWS) issued new fire warnings on Sunday, warning of an “extremely dangerous situation” for Los Angeles throughout the week.

The weather in the US is eerily similar to last Monday, when the NWS issued warnings of Santa Ana winds and an explosion in the Arctic.

The cold air will bring temperatures near or even below freezing Tuesday morning as far away as Texas, Mississippi and Georgia, increasing pressure on heating budgets and the risk of frozen pipes.

Temperatures could drop into the teens in parts of more than a dozen Midwestern and Northeastern states, including Denver, Colorado, Rapid City, South Dakota and Kansas City, Missouri.

Subzero temperatures will likely freeze the north-central region, with large parts of the Dakotas, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois and Michigan at risk of wind chills as low as -10 to -30 degrees F.

AccuWeather meteorologists have forecast a “particularly stormy stretch” from January 18 to 20.

A brief lull in the Arctic blasts during that time will open a path for “one or more significant storms” to move up from the Gulf of Mexico or the South Central states and move either toward the Great Lakes, according to AccuWeather Lead or the northeast coast will move. Long-range meteorologist Paul Pastelok.

But this lull in the onslaught of Arctic air won’t last long. Meteorologists have already predicted another explosion over much of Central and Eastern America for January 20 to 24.

This could see temperatures drop even lower than this week, but this should be followed by a slow warming that could last well into February.

“Until then, consumers will continue to spend a lot of money heating their homes and businesses, and most people who spend time outdoors will need several thick layers of clothing to stay warm,” AccuWeather advised.

The West is dealing with a very different wave of severe weather, while Los Angeles is grappling with one of the largest and deadliest wildfires in California history.

The fires first sparked on January 7, after powerful Santa Ana winds began devastating Southern California with gusts of up to 100 mph.

The fires have since destroyed more than 40,000 hectares, forced about 150,000 people to evacuate and killed 24 people.

Their cause is still under investigation, but winds helped them quickly spread the devastation across Los Angeles County.

Although the winds have calmed for now, firefighters are trying to get three active fires under better control before they flare up again from Monday.

Wind gusts of up to 120 km/h are expected between 4 a.m. Tuesday and 12 noon Wednesday. NWS officials have stated that these winds could be strong enough to cause “explosive fire growth.”

Through Wednesday, parts of Los Angeles County are under a red flag warning for a particularly dangerous situation (IBS).

“This will be a period of locally damaging winds and extremely critical fire conditions,” the agency’s Sunday advisory reads.

“I know you want to get back to your homes, and we are making plans to do that, but we keep getting stopped by Mother Nature,” Joe Everett, assistant chief of the Los Angeles Fire Department, told reporters during a meeting in Los Angeles. Briefing on Sunday evening.

Additionally, the resurgence of high winds has prompted California’s South Coast Air Quality Management District to issue an advisory on windblown dust until noon Tuesday. This advisory covers Los Angeles, Orange and Riverside counties.

High winds could spread toxic ash and dust from the wildfires, which could result in air quality levels that are unhealthy for sensitive groups, the department said.

Authorities in California are cautiously optimistic that some displaced residents will be able to return to their homes later this week as winds and high temperatures subside.