Millions Under Winter Alerts as Temperatures Plunge Nationwide
A powerful Arctic air mass is sweeping across the United States this week, bringing freezing temperatures, heavy snow, and life-threatening wind chills to nearly two-thirds of the country. The cold outbreak, driven by a break in the polar vortex over Canada, will send frigid air deep into the South and set dozens of temperature records from Texas to New York.
More than 84 million people are under weather advisories, winter storm warnings, and freeze alerts, according to the National Weather Service (NWS). Major cities in the alert zone include Dallas, Oklahoma City, Little Rock, New Orleans, Atlanta, Jacksonville, Charlotte, Raleigh, and New York. The storm marks the first major winter event of the 2025–26 season.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul has urged residents to prepare for severe weather. “State agencies are at the ready to assist New Yorkers and ensure our communities remain safe during the first winter storm of the year,” she said Sunday, announcing that the state’s Code Blue shelter program will be activated when temperatures drop below freezing.
Record Cold Reaches Deep South
Temperatures are expected to plunge 10 to 25 degrees below average across much of the South by Tuesday, with record lows likely in Birmingham, Tupelo, Knoxville, Memphis, and Nashville. In Texas, freeze warnings were issued for Dallas and Austin, while flooding from heavy rain stranded vehicles near Atlanta over the weekend.
Parts of Florida are facing an extreme temperature swing. Miami saw highs near 85°F on Sunday, but the NWS forecast lows in the 30s and 40s by Tuesday morning—a drop of more than 40 degrees. The cold air could reach as far south as Jacksonville and parts of central Florida, bringing frost to regions unaccustomed to freezing temperatures.
Heavy Snow and Dangerous Travel Conditions
Snowfall from the Great Lakes through New England is expected to intensify Monday and Tuesday, with accumulations of 12 to 18 inches possible in parts of Indiana, Wisconsin, Michigan, and West Virginia. The Appalachians and portions of upstate New York could also see significant totals.
In the Midwest, heavy snow combined with wind gusts up to 35 mph has created blizzard-like conditions, causing multiple traffic accidents and school closures. The Cook County Department of Transportation advised residents in the Chicago area to avoid unnecessary travel as snow accumulations reached nearly a foot overnight.
The NWS warned of “life-threatening travel conditions” due to lake-effect snow, a phenomenon caused when cold air moves across the warmer Great Lakes, picking up moisture that rapidly turns into heavy snow bands. Videos posted to social media showed near-zero visibility in northern Wisconsin and northwest Indiana.
States Mobilize Emergency Responses
In New York’s Chautauqua, Niagara, and Orleans counties, snowfall between 3 and 6 inches is expected through Tuesday, while “feels like” temperatures could dip into the teens. Hochul said the state has mobilized over 1,500 plow trucks and other snow-clearing equipment to maintain major roadways.
The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency also issued warnings, advising residents to stock up on food, prepare dry firewood, and check on elderly or disabled neighbors ahead of the coldest nights of the system.
The Arctic blast is forecast to linger through midweek before gradually easing, but forecasters caution that more wintry weather could follow in early December. For now, much of the nation will remain in the grip of the season’s first major cold wave—one that is already shattering records and disrupting life from the Gulf Coast to the Great Lakes.