Polar Vortex Maps Show How Far Temperatures Could Plunge in Each State

Bitter temperatures are forecast to hit swathes of the U.S. this weekend, with the National Weather Service predicting that the cold snap could last well into January.

Why It Matters

Subfreezing temperatures are expected to affect the majority of Americans throughout Saturday and into the following week, particularly in the Midwest, Heartlands and Northeastern regions.

Strong winds, sleet, ice and heavy snow are also expected in some areas, including some Southern states, later in the weekend, which could lead to perilous conditions.

What To Know

The polar vortex—the area of cold air that circulates around the Arctic—is forecast to expand this weekend, bringing dangerously cold weather with it. Temperature forecast maps from multiple sources show freezing conditions throughout the weekend.

According to NWS predictions, the coldest temperatures will be experienced across North Dakota, Minnesota and Montana, where there could be cold snaps of up to -4 degrees Fahrenheit in some areas on Friday, particularly along the U.S.-Canada border, with wind chills as cold as -29 degrees. Maps by Pivotal Weather show that temperatures could drop as low as -21 degrees in North Dakota on Saturday.

The same map shows below-freezing temperatures are expected all the way from Washington (30 degrees), down through Nevada (20 degrees), across the plains to Virginia (17 degrees), up through New York (21degrees) to Maine (15 degrees) on Saturday morning. There is little prospect of temperatures improving much throughout the day.

Similar temperatures are expected for Sunday, with a low of -12 degrees expected along the North Dakota-Minnesota border as of 7 a.m. ET. Cold weather is also expected to travel further southward into New Mexico, Texas and Louisiana, with between 17 degrees and 37 degrees forecast for Sunday morning.

What People Are Saying

AccuWeather chief on-air meteorologist Bernie Rayno said in an email to Newsweek: “This is the first snow and ice storm of 2025, and we could see widespread impacts. This storm will be far enough south to cause major problems in cities that may struggle to deal with wintry weather and ice. Arctic air will surge southward in the wake of this storm with subfreezing temperatures for millions of people.”

Weather Prediction Center meteorologist Scott Kleebauer told The New York Times: “This has the potential to be a fairly significant Arctic outbreak. The one thing for sure is that it’s going to get cold, and it’s going to last a fairly long period of time.”

The National Weather Service said in its January 3 short-range discussion: “Areas in the Central Plains and Central Mississippi Valley, especially along and north of Interstate 70, are likely to experience heavy snowfall, with a high chance (60-90 percent) of at least 6 inches of snow from late Saturday into Sunday. Significant sleet and freezing rain are anticipated from eastern Kansas and the Ozarks extending eastward to the Tennessee and lower Ohio Valleys, also on Saturday into Sunday.”

What Happens Next

Temperature maps from multiple sources show freezing temperatures throughout the weekend and into next week. Looking further ahead, the NWS has forecast that temperatures will rise in the west from January 10 onward. An average climate is expected in the Great Plains, but lower than normal readings are anticipated for much of the Midwest, East and South up to January 16.