Get Ready for Winter
It’s beginning to look a lot like winter across parts of the north-central United States as waves of snow and frigid air have frequented the region this week, but the next blast of Arctic air will be the coldest one yet.
Temperatures will tumble to the lowest levels so far this season, and in some cases, they will challenge records that have stood for more than 100 years, as a blast of Arctic air sweeps across the Plains and Rocky Mountains.
Accumulating snow will precede the Arctic blast, laying the groundwork for the core of the cold to penetrate well into the central U.S. during the second half of the weekend and into the start of the new week.
Strong winds that accompany the arrival of the cold air will pose a threat for high-profile vehicles traveling across the region, as well as spelling an end to the leaf-peeping season where dead leaves are still holding on to the trees.
Sunday, by far, appears to be the coldest day of the weekend for much of the region, particularly along the Front Range of the Rockies and High Plains.
In Billings, Montana, the lowest temperature ever recorded on Oct. 25 was 18 degrees Fahrenheit set in 1997, but the high temperature on Sunday may not even reach this benchmark. This will be followed up by a low temperature on Sunday night within a few degrees of zero F.
The same can be said for Casper, Wyoming, with the low temperature on Sunday night expected not only to shatter the current record for the date but also come within a few ticks of the all-time lowest temperature recorded in the month of October.
The Arctic plunge will continue to surge southward into the start of the new week, bringing about dramatic changes to the southern Plains.
In Amarillo, Texas, the mercury may plunge from the mid-70s on Saturday to the teens on Sunday night followed by icy conditions on Monday.
The drop in temperature is not forecast to be quite as extreme farther east in Dallas, but residents will experience nearly a 30-degree drop in temperature from Sunday to Monday.