Reprieve in winter chill for some, but new Arctic blast due soon
There is a welcome pause in the bitterly cold weather today for some parts of the U.S. and despite some heavy snow in the Great Lakes and ice storms in the Northwest and Rockies, there’s a return to more typical winter temperatures.
But the relief may be short-lived: a new blast Arctic blast of freezing air is due as early as tomorrow and could plunge much of the country back into sub-zero temperature and dangerous wind chill conditions.
A Pacific storm system that’s already brought freezing rain to Portland, Oregon, is moving toward the Washington coastline and has spread heavy snow across the interior Northwest, the National Weather Service said in an update at 3.17 a.m. ET.
What the weather service called “moderate to major” winter storm conditions can be expected today and into tomorrow in the Cascades and Rockies, with more than 2 inches of snow per hour and widespread winter weather warnings.
Yet another Pacific storm lies in wait to create a “1-2 punch” of storms for the region, potentially leaving up to an inch of frozen rain in the western Columbia Gorge.
Elsewhere, heavy lake effect snow could dump between 1 and 3 feet in the Great Lakes through tomorrow night, particularly downwind of Lakes Eerie and Ontario.
Texas, where people were treated for hypothermia in the last few days, is to enjoy temperatures in the 60s and 70s today, before another cold snap finds its way to the South by Friday.
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