Through Gilles MATRICONmeteorologist
Posted on 02/05/21, updated 02/07/21 at 6:10 p.m.-
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After a mild start to winter, a cold wave has hit Canada and is reaching most of the United States this week and could last until February 15 to 25 depending on the state.
This cold wave is linked to the stall of the polar vortex which is positioned over the north of the United States, before descending towards the south of the country. On Sunday, extreme cold was already enveloping Canada with -52 ° C recorded in Wekweti.
#Cold extreme at #Canada this Sunday with – 45 ° C to #Yellowknife and -52 ° C in Wekweeti! This freezing cold plunges over the United States with -30 ° C forecast in Chicago, nearly -20 ° C in New York and -10 ° C in #Dallas at the end of the week ! pic.twitter.com/vkcMPFypOg
– The Weather Channel (@lachainemeteo) February 7, 2021
Blizzard over eastern US Sunday
Sunday, a very active depression swept through the eastern United States, from North Carolina to Maine via Washington, New York, Pennsylvania and Boston. In New York, 10 cm of snow fell. This is the second heavy snowfall in less than a week.
After the storm #neigeOrlena last weekend, #NewYork suffered a new snowfall this Sunday. The snow has been present on the ground since February 1 and could be maintained until around the 25th, which could constitute a record of snowfall duration. https://t.co/bDkNoHlS7f
– The Weather Channel (@lachainemeteo) February 7, 2021
Cold wave then
This snowstorm is followed by the arrival of freezing air over the northern United States. Temperatures will literally drop to -20 ° C in Boston and Chicago.
Then Thursday and Friday, new snowfall will affect the central United States up towards the Atlantic coast, with 10 to 20 cm of snow again expected.
From Friday, this cold snap will intensify further. The -30 ° C will be approached in Chicago or Minneapolis. We will be between 10 and 20 ° C below the seasonal norms.
This cold will be accentuated by the snow on the ground which will create a strong radiation, resulting in very low temperatures at the end of the night. Next weekend, -20 ° C could be close to the New York area.
The Great Lakes could be frozen over.
The American Great Lakes are covered with ice. By the end of the week and with the increase in the cold (down to -30 ° C at #Chicago), all lakes should be ice-covered and form a #banked, which had not happened since February 2015. https://t.co/9XLRZfzM8v
– The Weather Channel (@lachainemeteo) February 7, 2021
10 day without a thaw in New York?
This cold will also reach the southern United States. Snowfall is expected in Texas in Dallas from next Friday, when the freezing air arrives. The temperature will drop to -10 ° C. Several days without thaw will be possible in this city. In the north of the country, New York could experience a record number of days without a thaw, from February 7 to 21.
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