Break from the deep freeze: Central and Eastern US to warm this week
The dramatically cold weather and dangerous conditions gripping the Central and Eastern states will ease up this week. How long will the reprieve last, and will it hurt chances for a white Christmas?
This video shows a Bears fan watching as their soda froze almost as soon as it was opened during single-digit temperatures on Dec. 14.
A large sector of the nation experienced a cold blast that has been chilling residents to their bones since the beginning of December, but there is an end in sight.
During the first half of the month, locations from the Plains to the Northeast and mid-Atlantic regions experienced record-low high temperatures between 20-30 degrees below typical December values at times. The surge of Arctic air, accompanied by blustery winds in some areas, has posed a real risk to outdoor workers, children waiting for the school bus in the morning and animals.
Comparisons to previous years: How cold is it, really?
So far this month, many of the major metros across the Central and Northeastern states have documented temperatures on average between 7-10 degrees below typical values. Cities that have borne the brunt of the cold in the Midwest, like Duluth, Michigan, and Green Bay, Wisconsin, have recorded departures more than minus 12 degrees Fahrenheit from the historical average so far this December.
Compared to last December in its entirety, departures trended the exact opposite and were above normal for the month. Places like Detroit and the Twin Cities of Minnesota were roughly 2-3 degrees above the norm for the whole month of December 2024.
After experiencing some of the coldest air of the season, temperatures will slowly begin to moderate amid the changing pattern.
Widespread frostbite risk
While AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures have since risen after they became dangerously low across the Midwest, Great Lakes and Northeast last week and into Monday, areas across the Midwest and Northeast will still experience AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures in the teens and single digits into Tuesday morning.
As the week progresses, the cold will not be as intense throughout the Plains, Great Lakes and Northeast. Many spots will have temperatures within a few degrees of the historical average.
Will the warmup ruin chances for a white Christmas?
For many across the nation, the pattern this week featuring Arctic air receding and warmer conditions moving in will linger into the latter half of December. Widespread highs in the upper 20s to 40s will hang around into the week of Christmas, a welcome change to those who have been facing highs in the single digits for multiple days.
Given the relatively warmer pattern ahead, the chances for accumulating snow will be limited for some, or at least accumulating snow that lingers for an extended period of time.
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"With the warmup later in the week, it could dash the hopes for many of a white Christmas as current snow cover on the ground in parts of the Midwest away from the Great Lakes may melt and not survive to Christmas Day," stated AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Dan Pydynowski.
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