Weather warning as life-threatening polar vortex will engulf parts of the US with Siberian air: ‘There’s no escaping’
Dozens of US states will experience the lowest temperatures in years as a polar vortex brings ‘life-threatening’ cold next week
The National Weather Service (NWS) said much of the Lower 48 should brace for “the coldest air mass of the season so far” from Friday through January 24.
Meteorologists predict temperatures could drop as much as 45 degrees below average, hitting at least 20 states in the Plains, Great Lakes and inland Northeast with freezing temperatures.
States in the polar vortex path include Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, the Dakotas, Montana and Wyoming.
Parts of Massachusetts, Connecticut, Virginia, North Carolina, Kentucky, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, Nebraska, Utah and Idaho could also experience subzero temperatures.
According to the NWS, the Rockies, Northern Plains and Upper Midwest should see minimum wind chills of -30 F or colder Saturday through Tuesday.
The freezing temperatures are likely to freeze and burst pipes, putting significant strain on power grids as people rush to heat their homes.
‘This poses a high risk of hypothermia and frostbite to the exposed skin. Be sure to take a cold weather survival kit with you when traveling,” the agency warned.
Snow and slick roads will also hit the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast on Sunday, with a wintry mix possible in the Deep South early next week.
Dozens of US states will experience the lowest temperatures they have felt in years next week as a polar vortex brings “life-threatening” cold. The polar vortex brings frigid air from Siberia to the US

The Rockies, Northern Plains and Upper Midwest should see minimum wind chills of -30 F or colder Saturday through Tuesday
All states in the Lower 48, and more than 80 percent of residents, will see freezing temperatures.
“This would certainly be one of the coldest outbreaks in the last 10 or 15 years,” said winter weather expert Judah Cohen of Atmospheric Environmental Research. ‘It sucks air from Siberia.
“And you know, that matches up with these pieces because when the polar vortex extends, the flow starts in Siberia and ends in the US.”
Even states along the Gulf Coast and southern border will see temperatures drop 10 to 30 F below average. Only South Florida will be spared from the bitter cold.
“So if you’re a snowbird, you like to escape south – there’s no escaping this. Everyone will feel it FOX Weather Meteorologist Britta Merwin said.
All told, more than 300 million Americans will experience below-average temperatures on Monday, FOX reported.
But the wind chill could see some parts of the country experience pleasant temperatures as low as -50 F on Monday morning.
Cities unaccustomed to such low temperatures should prepare for the life-threatening consequences of this cold, Merwin said.
For example, temperatures in Asheville, North Carolina could dip into the low to mid teens Monday through Thursday next week.

At least 300 million Americans are in the path of the polar vortex. Pictured: a frozen part of New Jersey
Monday morning, Atlanta, Georgia could also experience temperatures in the teens.
People in parts of western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee will be especially vulnerable as many are left without proper homes after the devastation of Hurricane Helene.
People who will be outside for extended periods of time this weekend should watch for signs of hypothermia, including shivering, slurred speech, slow and shallow breathing, a weak pulse, clumsiness, confusion and loss of consciousness.
In babies, look for bright red, cold skin and very low energy levels.
No one should go outside with bare skin, because this severe cold can lead to frostbite in just 15 minutes.

People planning to spend extended periods of time outdoors this weekend should watch for signs of hypothermia and frostbite. Pictured is a storm that hit Washington DC earlier this month. But the nation’s capital will see freezing temperatures this week

No one should go outside with bare skin, because this severe cold can lead to frostbite in just 15 minutes. The photo shows New York City’s Bryant Park during another explosion earlier this month in the North Pole. Officials in New York are already preparing for this weekend’s frigid temperatures

This explosion of frigid temperatures is caused by the polar vortex, a large area of low pressure and cold air that swirls counterclockwise around the North Pole
Even northern cities are preparing for cold weather.
In New York City, an emergency official declared a “Code Blue” on Thursday.
This type of warning is issued when the temperature or wind chill is expected to drop to 32 F overnight.
“Outreach teams will survey all five boroughs to connect our most vulnerable New Yorkers with shelters,” NYC Emergency Management said in a post on X.
This explosion of frigid temperatures will be caused by the polar vortex, a large area of low pressure and cold air that swirls counterclockwise around the North Pole.
Its vortices usually keep it close to the North Pole, but in winter the polar vortex will often expand further south, causing outbreaks of cold temperatures.
This particular outbreak will be one of the most far-reaching of this season so far, NWS meteorologist Zack Taylor said NPR.
It doesn’t look like temperatures will rise anytime soon, as meteorologists expect the general weather pattern to remain favorable for more Arctic outbreaks through the end of January.