Arctic invasion to send temperatures below freezing for nearly 150 million people next week

By Brandon Buckingham, AccuWeather Meteorologist

Published Nov. 9, 2019 6:02 AM

While much of the Plains, Midwest and Northeast has dealt with a cold and snowy start to November, a much larger swath of the country will suffer through subfreezing temperatures in the coming days.

The first signs of the next Arctic intrusion will come this weekend across the northern Plains and Midwest, as a clipperlike system drops southward out of Canada.

Following a fresh coating of snow across the region, temperatures will plummet.

The system will then join forces with a separate disturbance tracking into the southern Plains early next week.

This added boost of upper-level energy will allow the cold air to force its way southward.

Millions of Americans across the Plains and Midwest will likely wake up to temperatures ranging from the single digits to the teens on Monday morning.

With a brisk northwest wind in place, AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures will plunge to near zero for many.

As the disruptive storm system continues its trek eastward, winterlike cold will expand well into the southern United States, bringing a record-challenging cold air mass to the Gulf Coast on Tuesday and Wednesday morning.

"High temperatures in many spots will be as many as 10 degrees below typical low temperatures in mid-November," AccuWeather Meteorologist Kyle Elliot said.

As temperatures bottom out on Wednesday morning along the Gulf coast, places like Pensacola, Florida; Mobile, Alabama; Gulfport, Mississippi; and even Houston, Texas, can expect readings to hover around the freezing mark.

Farther north, midwinterlike cold is also expected early next week.

An expansive area of high pressure centered in the Midwest will promote mainly clear skies, allowing temperatures to drop. Lows in the single digits and teens can be expected, with RealFeel® Temperatures even lower.

"Tuesday's forecast high temperature of 26 in St. Louis is only 14 degrees higher than the record low temperature of 12 set in 1911," Elliot said.

By Tuesday, winterlike temperatures will expand into much of the Northeast as well.

RealFeel® Temperatures ranging from the single digits to the 20s can be expected during the day across the region.

The risk for frozen water pipes and dead car batteries will be renewed across the central United States.

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Extra layers will be needed for kids heading out to the bus stop, or for individuals working outside.

With RealFeel® Temperatures in the single digits for many, the risk of frostbite and hypothermia will increase.

The extreme cold will also lead to a spike in heating costs and electric bills.

After the blast of Arctic air, temperatures will continue to remain below average through the remainder of the week across the eastern half of the United States.

Download the free AccuWeather app to get the latest updates on the storm and how it will affect your area. Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.