Earlier this week, Punxsutawney Phil predicted six more weeks of winter. The groundhog may have it right, as the coldest wind chills in decades will hit the North, while a Southern ice storm has caused multiple deaths.
Extreme weather predictions: The North
Some of the most dangerous and coldest wind chills to strike the Northeast in decades are coming this week, as forecasters for the weather prediction center of the NOAA say when chills could fall as low as 50 degrees below zero.
On Friday, more than 15 million people were under windshield warnings or advisories in the Northeast, which will last through Saturday afternoon, CNN reported.
“This is an epic, generational Arctic outbreak,” the National Weather Service (NWS) said. “The air mass descending on the area Friday into Friday night is the coldest air currently in the Northern Hemisphere.”
Forecasters are warning that people need to take safety precautions when dressing for the cold, especially making sure to cover the exposed flesh on their face and hands. With such extreme wind chill temperatures, it can cause frostbite in as little as 10 minutes.
Extreme weather: 8 deaths in South, 400,000 without power
In the South, a deadly ice storm has crippled parts of the region this week. Freezing rain on Thursday led to roughly 400,000 homes, businesses, and other customers being left without power in the South, with the majority of those affected in Texas, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Tennessee.
The deadly ice storm also led to at least eight deaths confirmed so far as a direct result of the weather this week, officials said. At least two deaths occurred in Oklahoma, and six deaths occurred in Texas.
According to the National Weather Service, around a quarter of an inch of fresh ice glazed parts of central and northern Texas.
“It’s an ice rink on the side roads and on our parking lot,” the NWS tweeted about the accumulated ice.
More winter weather coming
Another winter storm is on the way bringing more heavy snow. Here is the latest 3-day winter weather forecast from the National Weather Service (NWS).
Friday: In the West, snow over parts of Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming. In the East, snow over portions of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York.
Saturday: In the West, snow over portions of Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming. In the central US and east, snow over portions of North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine.
Sunday: In the West, a new winter storm moves in, bringing snow over parts of Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Nevada, Utah, and Colorado, with heavy snow over California, Oregon, and Idaho. In the East, snow over Michigan, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and most of Maine.
