Significant Cold Air Blast Coming to U.S.; Snow Storms Likely

Very cold weather will be arriving into the U.S. in the coming weeks, with much below normal temperatures expected well into the deep south. Image: NWS — Very cold weather will be arriving into the U.S. in the coming weeks, with much below normal temperatures expected well into the deep south. This map reflects expected temperatures for the second full week of January. Image: NWS

A very significant blast of cold air will be coming to the U.S. in January, with multiple snow storms likely as a result. According to the National Weather Service’s Climate Prediction Center (CPC), there is a high risk of much below normal temperatures across much of the southeastern U.S. 8-14 days from now.

In addition to cold, there is also the threat of snow storms during this period. There could be a significant snow event in the southern Mid Atlantic around January 6 and perhaps a larger east coast storm around January 11. There is even a chance that snow or freezing rain could make it to southern Texas and Louisiana, with places like Houston threatened by a chance of frozen or freezing precipitation in this time period too.

Due to the dynamic nature of the weather pattern, it is too soon to say with certainty how snow storm situations will unfold beyond the first week of the new month of the new year. But one thing is certain: some very cold air will be parked over a large part of the U.S. for a prolonged period of time.