A bone-chilling arctic cold outbreak is set to descend upon the United States, bringing with it potentially record-setting frigid air that will grip much of the country, including the usually mild Deep South, in its icy clutches. Daily cold temperature records for mid-January could be shattered from Washington state to the Gulf Coast.

The arctic cold is expected to arrive in two waves. The first plunge of cold air has already started making its way southward through the Plains. Following this initial wave, an even more powerful cold blast will surge southward from the Northwest, sweeping through the Southern Plains and Midwest this weekend. It will then continue its journey towards the Southeast early next week before finally reaching the East Coast by Tuesday or Wednesday.

During the coldest days of the outbreak, temperatures are predicted to plummet to the 20s, and even into the teens in some areas, along the northern Gulf Coast, spanning from East Texas to North Florida. The Deep South is bracing for freezing temperatures, with lows in the teens and even a few single-digit lows expected. Parts of the Texas Panhandle, Oklahoma, and northern Arkansas may experience below-zero low temperatures, while lows in the minus 20s could grip Iowa and Nebraska. In a chilling forecast, Montana could see lows as frigid as minus 40 degrees.

Weather experts are warning that daily records for coldest temperatures on a particular calendar day could be broken from Washington to Wyoming this weekend, followed by the possibility of record-breaking cold in parts of the Central and Southern Plains, especially on Monday and Tuesday. Chicago's O'Hare Airport may see temperatures plunge to the minus teens, mirroring the bitter cold of the January 2019 cold outbreak, with a potential for no rise above zero during Monday and/or Tuesday. Meanwhile, Oklahoma City could face temperatures below zero for the first time since the historic February 2021 cold outbreak. It is important to note, however, that this outbreak is not expected to match the intensity of the previous two extreme cold events.

Alongside the icy conditions, strong winds will accompany each cold blast, creating dangerous wind chills across the Rockies, Plains, Midwest, and even parts of the South. Wind chills in the Northern Plains could drop to bone-chilling values of minus 40s or even minus 50s, posing a serious risk of frostbite on any exposed skin within a mere 10 minutes.

The cold spell is projected to last through the weekend and into the first half of MLK week in many areas. Some parts of the South, including Oklahoma City, Dallas, and Nashville, may experience several consecutive days with daytime highs remaining below freezing. Furthermore, a generally frigid pattern is expected to persist across the eastern U.S., stretching from the Rockies and lasting until at least the weekend of January 20-21.

This sudden emergence of freezing temperatures can be attributed to various factors. First and foremost, a blocking high-pressure system near Greenland and the Canadian Arctic is pushing cold air from Canada deep into the U.S., a common characteristic of wintertime cold outbreaks. The frigid air is being preserved by the widespread snow cover resulting from recent winter storms, marking a stark reversal from America's record-warmest December in 129 years and the lack of Christmas snow cover observed in the past two decades.

As the arctic cold outbreak grips the nation, it is crucial for individuals to take precautions and ensure their safety in these harsh conditions. Stay updated with weather forecasts and advisories, dress in warm layers, and limit exposure to the frigid air to avoid frostbite and hypothermia.