An arctic air mass has descended into the US, and a disrupted polar vortex will keep the nation in the freezer at times deeper into December.
More than 200 million people will wake up to freezing temperatures this week as the coldest air of the season spills across the Plains, Midwest, Great Lakes and into the Northeast in the wake of the latest winter storm to sweep across the country.
This widespread temperature plunge tied to the polar vortex puts dozens of daily cold records in play.
Arctic air has already dropped into the Plains, Midwest and Great Lakes and plunged temperatures well below zero. Dangerous snow squalls could accompany the blast of cold air as it slices across the Northeast Thursday, especially in upstate New York and central and northern New England.
Snow squalls are brief bursts of heavy snow that can create icy roads and a whiteout in an instant. They are an extreme danger to travelers and have historically caused vehicle crashes, including multi-car pileups.
Reported by CNN
