Polar vortex map shows states to be hit by triple cold surge

A displaced polar vortex in Canada is set to unleash three waves of Arctic air through mid-December, “delivering the coldest conditions of the season so far,” forecasters at AccuWeather said.

“The repeated blasts, the first of which is now in place across the Midwest and Northeast, will drive up energy demand and create hazardous travel from multiple rounds for accumulating snow from the Plains to the Northeast,” the outlet said in an advisory shared with Newsweek on Friday.

The series of Arctic outbreaks, of which at least three are expected, will likely surge south out of Canada into the Plains, Midwest and Northeast through mid-month, AccuWeather said, adding that the first had been moving south and east through Thursday night.

Two more are expected in the coming weeks as the polar vortex—a wide expanse of cold, swirling air located over the poles—forces frigid air southward.

“With rounds of sub-zero temperatures expected in portions of the Plains and Midwest, widespread lows in the teens and 20s can occur as far east as the mid-Atlantic,” said AccuWeather. “Some interior Northeast locations have already recorded temperatures near 20 degrees below zero,” it added.

Flurries, snow showers and squalls swept in with the first Arctic front across New York and New England, and more snow will extend from the Plains into the Midwest this weekend, AccuWeather said. The outlet forecasts between one and three inches of snow for Chicago on Sunday.

The lingering cold will drive up energy use, snarl travel and could force some school closures, it warned, adding that parts of the interior Southeast may face hard freezes.

“The second blast of Arctic air is expected to advance from the northern Plains today to the Midwest on Sunday and then to the East on Monday,” AccuWeather meteorologist Dan Pydynowski told Newsweek on Saturday.

“Temperatures across many areas of the Midwest could drop below zero Fahrenheit on Monday morning, roughly 15 to 25 degrees below the historical average. For example, we are forecasting a low of -3 F in Madison, Wisconsin Sunday night/early Monday morning,” Pydynowski added.

“Yet another round of Arctic cold looks to dive southward into the northern Plains on Wednesday December 10 and then progress south and east through the upcoming weekend, December 13-14,” the meteorologist said.

The coldest days in the Northeast and mid-Atlantic will be Saturday the 13^th and Sunday the 14^th, according to Pydynowski, with afternoon high temperatures potentially struggling to reach freezing both of these days in New York City.

“This third blast looks a little colder and more prolonged than the blast we are dealing with today through Monday,” said Pydynowski.