Coldest start to December in years expected for the Northeast
It will feel more like the middle of winter as waves of cold air and gusty winds sweep across the northern tier, with freezing temperatures as far south as the Gulf coast.
If the mild autumn months caused any delay in dusting off winter jackets, gloves, scarves and boots, it is time to delay no more. Arctic air will have staying power across the eastern United States as it surges southeastward in waves through the first week of December, AccuWeather meteorologists say.
"Many areas across the northern tier will start the month of December with temperatures well below historical averages," AccuWeather Lead Long-Range Expert Paul Pastelok said
Dec. 1 marks the beginning of meteorological winter, and Pastelok noted that conditions may feel more like the middle of the season when factoring in a bone-chilling wind. Coming off the heels of a warm fall will add further shock value to the sustained cold pattern.
"Freezing temperatures will lunge deep into the Southeast, and the frigid air will be wind-driven and penetrating in the Midwest and Northeast," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski said.
The core of the Arctic air will reside in the northern Plains and Upper Midwest into early week, with highs climbing no greater than the single digits, teens and 20s. Even for this part of the country where bursts of Arctic air can hit frequently, these levels are 10-20 degrees Fahrenheit below historical averages into the beginning of December.
The waves of cold air will lose some of their sting but not their shock value as they sweep into the Northeast into early December. High temperatures will generally be in the 30s and lower 40s across the Northeast from this weekend through the majority of next week, with gusty winds plunging AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures into the single digits, teens and 20s at times.
For many along the Interstate 95 corridor of the Northeast, this will be the coldest start to meteorological winter in years. In New York City, for example, the stretch from Sunday to Thursday is likely to be the coldest start to December since 2019, when highs ranged from 36-42 degrees during the Dec. 1-5 timeframe.
The cold, blustery weather will be rocket fuel for setting off the season's first significant lake-effect snow event of the season downwind of the Great Lakes.
"The sustained cold will drive an increased demand for home heating oil, winter clothing and outerwear, while proving to be a boon to ski resorts from West Virginia to New England," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Bill Deger said.
The lasting chill will pave the way for Alberta clipper storms to bring quick-hitting bouts of snow to the Upper Midwest and Northeast next week. These storms will briefly disrupt the lake-effect snow machine and bring more widespread accumulations of a coating to a few inches.
Farther south, agricultural interests in Florida will need to pay close attention to the forecast in the coming days, as freezing air will plunge to the Gulf Coast on multiple occasions into next week.
"Freezing temperatures can reach northern Florida, especially between Dec. 2 and 5. Temperatures should stay above freezing in central Florida near the citrus and vegetable growing areas, but people should be prepared for this early surge of cold," Pastelok said.
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