Forecasters say parts of the United States will experience a cold blast of air before Christmas from Siberia — one of the coldest places on Earth.
The eastern two-thirds of the United States — states from the northern Rockies to the East Coast — will experience subzero temperatures, challenging records from the 1980s and stressing energy grids, AccuWeather reported. (RELATED: Millions Out Of Power As Texas Struggles With Winter Storm That Rendered Power Grids Inoperable)
Extremely cold air from Siberia will send much of the U.S. into a deep freeze in the days leading up to Christmas. https://t.co/1LYWRlAGUc
— Breaking Weather by AccuWeather (@breakingweather) December 14, 2022
The cold will hit North America in two waves as atmospheric energy pushes the cold from northeastern Asia into northwestern North America.
“By early next week, the atmospheric energy bringing the cold will dive south out of the Gulf of Alaska and into the Pacific Northwest,” AccuWeather Meteorologist Brandon Buckingham said. The energy will then go through the northern Rockies and Upper Midwest on Dec. 19 and 20. The temperature will fall below zero in Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota.
The northern Rockies and northern Plains will experience the coldest temperatures, which will eventually hit the Southern and Eastern United States.
“This could be one of the most extreme air masses that is observed all winter across portions of the north-central U.S.,” Buckingham said. “I would not be surprised to see some areas in Montana or North Dakota approach 30 degrees Fahrenheit below zero, which would come close to some of the extreme cold observed back in 1983 and 1989.”
During the second half of the week, the cold will move to the central and southern plains and Midwest, AccuWeather reported. Temperatures will return to normal Dec. 27.