A powerful winter storm is carving a path across the United States, creating hazardous blizzard conditions in the Upper Midwest and promising a shocking plunge from record warmth to bitter cold across the South.
Blizzard Warnings and Treacherous Travel
The system began its assault on Sunday, spreading snow and strengthening winds across the northern Plains. The National Weather Service has issued warnings for whiteout and potential blizzard conditions, which could render travel impossible in some areas.
Forecasters predict snowfall totals will exceed a foot (30 centimetres) in parts of the upper Great Lakes, with accumulations potentially doubling that figure along the south shore of Lake Superior. Bob Oravec, a lead forecaster at the National Weather Service office in College Park, Maryland, explained the storm's varied impacts: "Part of the storm system is getting heavy snow, other parts... are getting higher winds and much colder temperatures."
Dangerous Cold Front Sweeps the South
While the North battles snow, the South is bracing for a severe shock to the system. A sharp cold front is set to abruptly end a spell of record-breaking warmth. The high in Atlanta was around 72°F (22°C) on Sunday, following a Christmas Eve where the mercury hit 78°F (about 26°C) to shatter the city's record.
This unseasonable heat is about to vanish. Forecasters warn the incoming front will bring rain late Sunday into Monday, followed by a drastic temperature crash. Atlanta's low is expected to plummet to 25°F (minus 3.9°C) by early Tuesday morning, with the chill persisting through New Year's Day.
Similar dramatic shifts are forecast elsewhere:
- In Dallas, Sunday temperatures in the lower 80s (upper 20s C) will drop to the mid-40s (single digits C).
- In Little Rock, highs around 70°F (21°C) on Sunday will give way to highs only in the mid-30s on Monday.
Widespread Impacts and Extended Forecast
The storm's dangers are multifaceted. The weather service has warned of "dangerous wind chills" as low as minus 30°F (minus 34.4°C) in North Dakota and Minnesota from Sunday night into Monday. Meanwhile, severe thunderstorms are likely to herald the cold front's arrival in the South.
The storm is intensifying as it moves east, fuelled by the clash between frigid air from Canada and the unusually warm air lingering over the southern states. "We're definitely going back towards a more winter pattern," confirmed forecaster Oravec.
Residents across affected regions are urged to prepare for power outages, treacherous road conditions, and a need for extreme cold weather precautions as this significant winter event unfolds.
