Flash freeze, snow to shock millions following May-like warmth
As quickly as temperatures surge in the central and eastern United States this week, they will crash so fast that snow will accumulate in some areas and wet areas may flash freeze in others.
A temperature crash of 20, 40 and even 60 degrees Fahrenheit in a matter of hours may not only bring a cold shock to more than 100 million people from the Midwest to the Northeast but also a winter whiplash and hazardous flash freeze in some areas spanning Monday to Wednesday night, AccuWeather meteorologists caution.
Shortly after surging to warmth more typical of May and early June, a blast of frigid air associated with a strong cold front and severe thunderstorms will slash temperatures by leaps and bounds into midweek. Temperatures will nosedive by 20-40 degrees in cities such as Chicago, Pittsburgh, New York City, Nashville and Atlanta to name a few. However, in some places, such as Kansas City, Missouri, the rapid plunge may reach 60 degrees in less than 24 hours.
Combining temperature, wind, precipitation and other factors, AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures may plummet 60-80 degrees.
In Chicago, following a high temperature of 74 degrees on Tuesday, temperatures may fail to climb back to the freezing mark on Wednesday afternoon following a plunge into the upper 20s Wednesday morning.
This is about the biggest temperature drop that you will ever see for the Mississippi Valley area, AccuWeather Meteorologist and Social Media Producer Jesse Ferrell said. Ferrell also pointed out that hundreds of daily highs and warm night records would be set last week.
"In St. Louis, after a high in the mid-80s on Tuesday, temperatures will crash to 23 degrees by Wednesday morning, which is a drop of about 60 degrees," Ferrell stated. Other locations that will plunge by about 60 degrees in less than 24 hours include Oklahoma City, Wichita, Kansas and Kansas City, Missouri.
In many cases, the gusty winds will allow paved surfaces to dry off after severe thunderstorms or downpours move through, but that will not be the case everywhere. There are some zones where a flash freeze may occur, which would be a serious hazard for motorists and pedestrians.
Farther to the east, in portions of the central and northern Appalachians to northern New England, the snow will be more spotty and generally limited to the higher terrain. However, as temperatures drop, roads may not have a chance to dry off in all areas before freezing air sets in.
From late Wednesday to Wednesday night, motorists and pedestrians from Kentucky to upstate New York should closely monitor temperatures and be on the lookout for icy patches. Surfaces that appear wet may instead be icy, where the temperature has dropped to near or below the freezing mark. Bridges and overpasses are most likely to become icy, as these surfaces will cool the fastest, but there will be some exceptions.
Along Interstate 80 in western Pennsylvania, following highs in the 60s on Wednesday morning, temperatures will plummet through the 30s and 20s during the evening with periods of snow and the potential for icy travel.
Stiff winds and dry air should be enough to prevent widespread icy conditions from developing later Wednesday night along I-95 from Washington, D.C., to New York City and Boston.
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