All 50 states will feel the freeze by Wednesday as cold air sweeps across America
People walk in freezing cold temperatures on February 4, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images)
Freezing temperatures will touch almost every state in America on Tuesday morning as Old Man Winter makes his grand debut.
According to the FOX Forecast Center, the cold air will spread Tuesday night, and freezing temperatures will affect every state by early Wednesday.
"Tomorrow morning (Wednesday) is going to be the coldest out of the whole week," FOX Weather Meteorologist Britta Merwin said. "And, thankfully, it's a short, cold snap, but it's one that's going to take your breath away, so to speak."
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All 50 states will see below-freezing temperatures by Wednesday morning.(FOX Weather)
Temperatures are running 10-20 degrees below average for much of the country following a series of frontal passages and a broad upper trough in place over the eastern and central U.S., the FOX Forecast Center said.
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A look at low temperatures for the eastern U.S. on Wednesday.(FOX Weather)
"We have cold air damming," Merwin said. "So the cold air that moves in behind these cold fronts, it really seeps down to the ground and gets stuck up against the Appalachians. That's where we see the coldest air."
Potential record lows Wednesday morning in the East
On Tuesday, temperatures in New England, the Mid-Atlantic, and the Carolinas will reach the 30s and 40s. Potential record low temperatures will be present by sunrise on Wednesday, with temperatures dipping to 16 degrees in Danville, Virginia, for example.
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A look at potential record low temperatures on Wednesday.(FOX Weather)
Florida: Pull out your winter parka
The Southeast and Gulf Coast and the Florida Panhandle will experience high temperatures in the 50s. But overnight temperatures are expected to drop below freezing, which is farther south for a cold intrusion than usual. Freeze Warnings are in effect for seven states along the Gulf Coast and Southeast.
"Today (Tuesday) in Tampa, we're going to be stuck in the 50s … that's cold. You're pulling out your winter parka if you're a Floridian dealing with those temperatures," Merwin said.
Frost and freeze alerts are up for parts of the Southeast through Wednesday morning.(FOX Weather)
Freezing temps dip into the Lone Star State
Chilly highs in the 20s and 30s are expected for the Great Lakes and Midwest, with 30s and 40s from the Central Plains into the Middle Mississippi and Ohio Valleys with lows in the teens and 20s. Highs will be in the 50s for Texas and the Lower Mississippi Valley but dip near or to freezing in parts of those regions overnight.
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A look at high temperatures for the eastern U.S. on Tuesday.(FOX Weather)
Areas in the Northern Rockies southward through the adjacent northern and central High Plains will see highs into the 40s and 50s on Tuesday afternoon with lows dipping into the 20s.
Freezing fog dots the Pacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest will see highs in the 50s with 60s southward into California and 70s into the Desert Southwest. However, morning lows near or below freezing will remain a concern for plants in portions of northern coastal California and the central California valleys. Freezing fog has been an issue in parts of the Pacific Northwest in the mornings as well.
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Frost and freeze alerts are up in parts of California through Wednesday.(FOX Weather)
Big chill atop Big Island
Even the highest summits of the Big Island in Hawaii will experience freezing temperatures as part of the ongoing Kona Low. While not record-setting, it is a sure sign that the seasons are changing.
However, here comes the frozen rebound, crawling out of the freezer.
"Thankfully, we do it quickly," Merwin said. "By the time we get to this weekend, we're kind of back to where we should be for this time of year. Even Florida can take off their parkas by the time we get the Friday."
Old Man Winter is making his grand debut. (FOX Weather)