Clipper Systems Bringing Rounds Of Cold Air And Chances Of Snow For Midwest, Northeast
A fresh blast of cold arctic air brought on by a clipper system sent temperatures plunging below zero in parts of the upper Midwest this weekend after record cold hit the nation's Heartland last week.
This is the first of a series of clipper systems that are moving through the Midwest and the Northeast, bringing new shots of cold air and chances of more snow throughout the week.
Timing The Arctic Blast
Monday: The colder air sweeps south and eastward on Monday, plunging temperatures across the Appalachians and I-95 corridor.
Places like Philadelphia, New York and Boston will drop by as much as 10 degrees between Sunday and Monday. Their high temperatures may not make it much above freezing Monday or Tuesday afternoon. Breezy conditions along this stretch of I-95 and the coast will make temperatures feel even colder.
Tuesday: Lows Tuesday morning could plunge into the teens and 20s along much of the I-95 corridor as far south as Baltimore, or even the D.C. suburbs, with subzero cold possible again in upstate New York and northern New England. A few daily record lows could be threatened again in the Northeast.
(MAPS: 10-Day US Forecast Highs/Lows)
Will There Be Any Snow?
There aren't any major snowmakers expected in the Northern Tier over the next several days, but the series of clippers bringing the cold air could lead to steadily accumulating snow through the week, especially in the Northern Plains and Upper Midwest.
The latest clipper is currently forecast to track slightly more north and could bring another round of snow to the Great Lakes Tuesday and Wednesday.
Later in the week, another clipper will move through the Midwest to the Northeast Wednesday through Thursday. This system has some slightly warmer air linked to it so while snow is still possible, there is a greater chance of a wintry mix for cities like Detroit.
Cities like Minneapolis, Des Moines, Chicago, Detroit and Cleveland are all able to see some snowfall with one or more of these clippers.
Record Cold Recap
Wednesday, Aberdeen, South Dakota, tied its daily record low of minus 18 degrees.
Thursday morning, temperatures in the teens below zero were reported in parts of Iowa, Minnesota, South Dakota and Wisconsin. Wind chills in the 20s below zero were also reported in some of these same areas.
Record cold on Friday stretched across the Great Lakes and Northeast. Temperatures in Flint, Michigan, fell to minus 3 degrees, smashing the previous daily record of 6 degrees (set in 1991). Fort Wayne, Indiana, also saw a low of -3 on Friday, which broke the previous record of -2 (set in 1964). Other daily low records were set in Detroit, Michigan; Newark, New Jersey; Youngstown, Ohio; Poughkeepsie, New York; and Montpelier, Vermont.
West Tells A Different Story
While the East shivers, the West has been wondering where winter has been.
Above average temperatures are draped all across much of the region with temperatures running up to 10 degrees above average through the rest of the weekend and into next week.
Las Vegas has multiple days of highs near or above 70 degrees this week, when they should be below 60 this time of year.
More in U.S.
While not as warm as Vegas, above-average temperatures will spread to the Plains by early next week, which is some much-needed good news.
Take Sioux Falls, South Dakota, for example. Their high on Sunday is a pitiful 11 degrees, but fast-forward to Tuesday, their high is 40 degrees.
Now this isn't record warmth, but hopefully everyone enjoys the nice change and break from the cold.
Highs in the 50s could surge as far north as Montana and 60s could briefly return to Denver early next week.
Consider it a brief pause, on the many months left for wintertime cold.
Jennifer Gray is a weather and climate writer for weather.com. She has been covering some of the world's biggest weather and climate stories for the last two decades.
