Forecasters have warned that temperatures as low as -15C (12F) will bring arctic conditions to much of the United States in the run-up to Christmas.
Polar storms heading for already frigid south us Experts say it could endanger the lives of vulnerable people and derail holiday travel plans for many.
“We’re seeing temperatures that are well below normal and could be record lows, leading to Christmas holiday. “
In a special weather statement issued Sunday, the department warned of “extreme and prolonged freezing conditions in southern Mississippi and southeastern Louisiana.”
poweroutage.us, which tracks outages across the country, said the cold snap came on top of a massive freeze that dumped up to 61 centimeters (2 feet) of snow across the northeastern U.S., killing more than 80,000 people in New England on Sunday morning. power failure. .
Temperatures in Nashville will drop to -15C (5F), Tennessee By Thursday night, when the mercury could hit -11C (12F) in Jackson, Mississippithe National Weather Service (NWS) forecast.
The Weather Forecast Center has warned that the “coldest air of the season” is likely for the next seven days as a powerful arctic front hits the eastern two-thirds of the country in the days leading up to Christmas.
Its forecasters predict “widespread cold temperatures from the northern Rockies and northern Plains to the Midwest through the middle of the week, before reaching much of the Gulf Coast and eastern United States through Friday and the weekend.”
In the Northeast, utilities have brought in additional workers from other states but have been hampered by slick roads and dangerous conditions.
“It’s a big, wet snow, so there’s an impact on travel and infrastructure,” said NWS meteorologist Frank Pereira.
Police across New England have responded to more than 180 crashes since Friday night.
Image: National Weather Service
In Vermont, state officials said it could take two to three days for some customers to have power restored.
Montana is one of the states already starting to shiver – with temperatures as low as -16C (4F) on Sunday night.