Polar Vortex Brings Record-Breaking Cold to U.S., Affecting Millions

CHICAGO, Ill. — A massive polar vortex is set to plunge temperatures across the United States, with forecasts predicting life-threatening cold conditions for millions of Americans. Starting this weekend, temperatures will drop as much as 45 degrees below average, with below-zero readings expected in at least 20 states from the Northern Plains to the Great Lakes and the interior Northeast.

According to the FOX Forecast Center, over 80% of the U.S. population will experience freezing temperatures, with more than 300 million Americans facing below-average cold by Monday, Jan. 20, 2025. The deep freeze will extend as far south as the Gulf Coast, with only South Florida escaping the arctic blast.

“These are the types of weather systems that even bring cold air to the Gulf Coast,” said FOX Weather Meteorologist Merwin. “There’s only maybe one or two times a year where we get a chunk of arctic air that really invades the country and gets all the way down to the Gulf Coast. This is one of those.”

The polar vortex, a large area of low pressure and cold air surrounding the Earth’s poles, is responsible for the extreme conditions. A lobe of the vortex is expected to dip southward, bringing frigid air into the U.S. this weekend and into next week. Temperatures in cities like Atlanta could drop into the teens, while wind chills in some areas may feel as low as minus 50 degrees.

Zack Taylor, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service‘s Weather Prediction Center, warned of the dangers posed by such extreme cold. “Particularly the Rockies, the northern Plains, the Upper Midwest, are expected to see those wind chill readings as low as minus 30 to perhaps as low as minus 40 or minus 50 by this weekend into early next week,” Taylor said. “These conditions pose a great risk of hypothermia and frostbite to any exposed skin.”

Areas unaccustomed to freezing temperatures, such as the South and Mid-Atlantic, will also feel the chill. Dallas, Atlanta, and Charlotte, N.C., are forecast to see high temperatures below freezing, with morning lows potentially dropping into the 20s as far south as Houston and New Orleans.

Preparations for the cold are already underway in major cities. New York City has issued a Cold Weather Alert, and outreach teams are canvassing all five boroughs to connect vulnerable residents with shelters. “No one who is homeless and seeking shelter in New York City during a Code Blue will be denied,” a city official said.

While some moderation in temperatures is expected midweek, the overall pattern suggests more cold air outbreaks could occur toward the end of January. Many locations in the eastern U.S. are already experiencing their coldest January in years, with monthly temperatures running 5-10 degrees below average.

For those braving the cold, Taylor recommends limiting time outdoors, dressing in layers, and keeping an emergency kit in vehicles. “Dress warmly and in multiple layers — like an onion,” he advised. “That should include a moisture-wicking first layer, an insulating piece, and finally, a wind-insulating top layer.”