An intense Arctic outbreak has developed across the NW United States this weekend and continues spreading south across the Plains. The cold front is extending from Minnesota across Iowa, E Kansas in W Oklahoma and TX Panhandle today, drifting south with strong northerlies bringing much colder temperatures in its wake. Snowfall is also ongoing across W Nebraska, Wyoming and central Colorado. The outbreak is expected to push further south towards the Gulf Coast by late Wednesday / early Thursday and continue into SE States by Friday.
Latest analysis across the North American continent reveal a much colder airmass spreading across the NNW US with the coldest airmass over MT/WY today. Very cold airmass combined with strong winds is resulting in even negative °F windchills in Wyoming!
The progress of the Arctic surface front is best visible on the 2 m maps – it will arrive into E Oklahoma and N/W Texas by tomorrow morning, Oct 28th. On Tuesday morning, Oct 29th, the front will be extending from the Lake Michigan across Missouri towards central Texas and southern New Mexico. A day after, Oct 30th, the Arctic front push slows down and makes only small eastwards progress. With an additional push from the Arctic on Thursday, Oct 31st, the front accelerates again and reaches the Gulf of Mexico and western parts of Dixie alley in the morning. Strong cold advection continues ESE on Friday, Nov 1st, when the front spreads further south across the Gulf and across the SE States, reaching Georgia and Florida as well. Outbreak finally begins weakening over the weekend.
Lowest morning temperatures across central, northern and high plains from Monday through Thursday. Very cold morning is especially expected across southern Wyoming and Colorado where around 0 °F to slightly below are expected by Monday and Tuesday while the much colder morning is expected through mid-week when temperatures push below -10 °F in many areas. Thursday will also be quite cold across the rest of Colorado, W Kansas, W Nebraska and Panhandle with morning temperatures between 5 and 15 °F!
Stay alert for dangerous windchill conditions as this very cold airmass will be combined with strong northerly winds and result in even more extreme cold feel.