An arctic air mass continued to grip much of the central and eastern United States Friday, bringing dangerously cold temperatures and "life threatening" wind chills to millions of Americans. But a much needed warmup is on the way.
The latest brutal cold snap is again courtesy of the polar vortex — a large area of cold air that spins over the North Pole — dropping some 3,000 miles south into the U.S. for the 10th time this winter.
The National Weather Service issued extreme cold warnings and advisories in more than a dozen states, including Texas and Florida.
Just how cold is it?
Very. Dangerously cold sub-zero wind chills were expected through early Friday morning throughout the central Plains and as far south as the Texas Panhandle.
Such cold wind chills “may quickly lead to frostbite and hypothermia in unprotected humans, pets and livestock,” the weather service warned. “Please be sure to dress in layers including a hat, face mask, and gloves if you must go outside."
In northern Florida and southeast Georgia — places unaccustomed to dangerous cold — wind chills were in the teens and 20s on Friday morning.
Even without factoring in the wind, temperatures of up to 40 degrees below normal are expected for much of the country.
Record-breaking cold
According to the National Weather Service's Weather Prediction Center, about 250 daily cold records could be tied or broken through Friday. Among them:
Bismarck, N.D., hit minus 39 degrees on Tuesday, breaking the record of minus 37 set in 1910 for the same date.
Midland, Texas, had a low of 14 degrees Thursday, breaking the record of 19 degrees set in 1955.
In Nebraska on Thursday, Omaha (minus 12 degrees), Lincoln, (minus 17 degrees) and Norfolk (minus 18 degrees) broke respective low temperature records set in 1912.
In Oklahoma, Nebraska, Kansas and Missouri, hundreds of public school districts canceled classes or switched to online learning due to the sub-freezing temperatures. In Texas, some schools in rural areas canceled classes this week, but several of the state's largest school districts — including Dallas and Fort Worth — said they would remain open.
Arctic blast follows deadly flooding and another winter storm
The deep freeze follows deadly storms that pummeled the eastern U.S., killing more than a dozen people, including at least 14 in Kentucky and two in West Virginia who died amid flooding triggered by heavy rains.
The floodwaters were followed by yet another winter storm that dumped snow across the central and southern U.S. — including in flood-ravaged Kentucky.
“This is a snowstorm in the middle of a natural disaster,” Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said.
Six to 12 inches of snow fell in parts of Oklahoma, Arkansas and southern Missouri, the weather service said, while 6 to 8 inches was seen from eastern Kentucky to northeastern North Carolina. More than a foot of snow fell in parts of Virginia.
Virginia State Police reported 275 accidents by late Wednesday afternoon, including at least two dozen involving injuries, according to the Associated Press.
When will it start to warm up?
For much of the country currently facing brutally cold temperatures, there is relief on the way.
According to the weather service, a rapid "warming trend" will set in by this weekend.
"Temperatures return to near-average across the Northern Plains by Friday afternoon before above average warmth overspreads much of the Central U.S. by the end of the weekend," the weather service said.
In Glasgow, Mont., where wind chill readings were over 50 degrees below zero on Thursday morning, the high temperature on Sunday is forecast to be 48 degrees (above zero).
And just a reminder: Spring — which begins on March 20 — is officially one month away.