Chilly Surprise: U. S. Faces Early Winter Freeze

The U.S. is in for a wild ride this December. A sudden Arctic blast has swept across the central and northeastern parts of the country.

A Whopper of a Cold Snap

This isn't your average cold snap. It's a whopper, with temperatures plunging way below what's usual for this time of year. Meteorologists say it's all thanks to a wobble in the polar vortex. This big swirl of cold air up north has decided to send some of its chill our way.

Deep Freeze Expected to Stick Around

The deep freeze started on Thursday and is expected to stick around for a while. We're talking about temperatures that are 20 degrees Fahrenheit below average. That's not just chilly; that's downright icy. And it's not just the usual suspects like the northern Plains and Great Lakes regions. The cold air is stretching all the way down to the mid-Atlantic and New England. Even the Southeast is feeling the chill, though it's not as extreme.

Record-Breaking Lows

• Iowa, Wisconsin, and Minnesota have seen some new lows.
• Iowa, where they've been tracking temperatures since 1895, hit a new all-time low of -19 degrees in Spencer. That's 10 degrees colder than their previous record.
• Detroit and New York City also set new records. Upstate New York hit a bone-chilling -22 degrees, beating the old record by 2 degrees.

Snow on the Way

But it's not just about the cold. Snow is also in the forecast for parts of the mid-Atlantic, the Midwest, and the Rockies. A storm system crossing the northern Plains and Midwest on Saturday could bring heavy snow at times. So, if you're in these areas, be prepared for some serious winter weather.