A fresh surge of Arctic air is set to sweep across the Eastern U.S., potentially bringing the coldest temperatures of the season and stretching as far south as Alabama. Experts say this wave could be the peak of a series of cold outbreaks that have hit much of the country in early December.
Meteorologists attribute the extreme chill to a stretched polar vortex, which normally sits over the North Pole but has elongated between East Asia and eastern North America. This allows frigid Arctic air to plunge farther south than usual. Forecasts indicate the next blast will reach the northern Plains and Midwest later this week, then spread to the East, Mid-South, and South. Wind chills in cities like Minneapolis, Chicago, Kansas City, and St. Louis could drop well below zero, while Detroit may see lows in the single digits. In the Mid-South, temperatures could fall into the teens and low 20s, with northern Alabama experiencing wind chills in the teens. Forecasters also expect the Arctic cold to ease after mid-December, with warmer-than-average conditions likely across most of the U.S. by the end of the month.