A blast of Arctic air is set to bring freezing temperatures and lake-effect snow to parts of the Midwest and Northeast this week, but a warmup will soon follow. The cold wave, which arrives quickly and is expected to move through faster than the prolonged cold over Thanksgiving weekend, will give way to milder weather as the weekend approaches.
According to AccuWeather meteorologists, this shift will open the door for temperatures to rise across the region. The Arctic air will move into Atlantic Canada, allowing warmer air to sweep northward from the Mississippi River all the way to the Atlantic coast. This change will begin by this weekend and continue into next week.
For cities like Chicago, the transition from extreme cold to milder temperatures will be noticeable. After a period of frigid weather with highs only reaching 32°F on Thursday and Friday, temperatures are expected to climb into the 40s over the weekend. This warming trend will bring a welcome change, especially since the average high for early December in Chicago is around 40°F.
To the east, New York City will also experience a similar shift. Friday will be the coldest day, with temperatures struggling to reach the mid-30s. However, by Sunday through Wednesday, highs are forecast to be in the high 40s to mid-50s, a notable improvement from the chilling temperatures of the preceding days. The average high for New York City during early December typically falls in the mid-to-upper 40s.
While this warm-up may sound like good news for those eager to escape the cold, it brings its own set of challenges. For one, the change in weather could bring a series of storms to the East Coast. These storms, which are expected to move in early next week, could bring mostly rain rather than snow, causing potential disruptions, especially for areas that are still recovering from the earlier snowstorms.
In the meantime, the lake-effect snow is expected to continue through Saturday, burying parts of western and northern New York, northwestern Pennsylvania, northeastern Ohio, and Michigan under several feet of snow. With this snowfall, some areas could see accumulations of 3 to 6 feet, accompanied by massive snowdrifts.
As temperatures climb and storms approach, it will be important for residents in the Midwest and Northeast to stay prepared for the rapidly changing conditions.
