The Arctic Airmass Is Moving South, Reaching Texas and Perhaps Florida, With Temperatures Dropping to -45 Degrees

The Weather Channel has named a major storm, Winter Storm Elliott, that could become a bomb cyclone over the Midwest later this week, bringing blizzard conditions to parts of the Great Lakes and high winds to the East Coast, causing travel chaos in the days leading up to the Christmas holiday weekend.

Temperatures set to plunge across US states

(Photo : YURI KADOBNOV/AFP via Getty Images)

While the UK is becoming less frigid in the run-up to Christmas, temperatures in the lower 48 states of the United States will plummet, as per The Guardian.

Over the weekend, an Arctic airmass that had been hovering over northern Canada and was characterized by unusually cold temperatures and powerful high pressure slipped south from Alberta and Saskatchewan into eastern provinces of the Pacific north-west.

Temperatures in these areas averaged roughly -23 degrees Celsius at lunchtime on Sunday.

This airmass will progressively migrate southward across central states through the week, with temperatures ranging from 10 to 30 degrees below normal.

Later in the week, the airmass will move south, reaching Texas and potentially Florida, with some regions seeing temperatures up to 45 degrees below average.

This chilly airmass is expected to combine with a low-pressure system throughout the country's eastern half by the end of the week, causing substantial snowfall in states like Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Illinois.

The airmass will depart from the central states but stay throughout the east over the holidays, with temperatures ranging from -10 to -20 degrees Celsius.

Meanwhile, this week will see an enormous temperature differential in South America.

Temperatures in Argentina and parts of Brazil will be at least 10 degrees higher or lower than the climatological norm.

For Argentina and Paraguay, temperatures will be up to 20C above average, with 40C daily maximum temperatures throughout the middle half of this week.

Alongside the temperature differential, central and eastern Brazil will expect a lot of rain.

Cumulative rainfall totals for this week may approach or even surpass 100-200mm, which is extremely widespread for states such as Rio de Janeiro, Espirito Santo, and Minas Gerais.

This means that more than 8 million people will be affected by a month's worth of rain in a single week.

Heavy rain, floods, and landslides have already wreaked havoc on this region of Brazil this month, with several states receiving more than 100mm.

From December 1 to 3, Santa Teresa, a municipality in Espirito Santo, received 258mm of rain.

Flooding caused numerous municipalities to declare a state of emergency, affecting over 100,000 people and displacing 15,000 individuals.

Also Read: Storm System to Unleash in Central U.S, Causing Heavy Snow and Severe Weather

Bomb Cyclone Could Bring Blizzard Conditions In Great Lakes, High Winds In East

Winter Storm Elliott is expected to make landfall in the Pacific Northwest and northern Rockies on Tuesday, as per The Weather Channel.

This includes Seattle, where several inches of snow are forecast to fall downtown rather than just in the foothills or high country.

In the metro region, expect slick, snow-covered roads.

As the massive arctic cold front plunges southward, the storm will expand across the Plains.

Snowfall in the central Plains and upper Midwest could be substantial, followed by strong gusts.

Travel in the regions highlighted in the deepest teal tones below will become dangerous Wednesday night.

As the arctic front speeds into the Midwest, the storm will intensify, with regions of heavy snow and rain fast turning to snow.

Strong winds will extend from the Plains to the Midwest and South. Travel conditions will be hazardous from the middle Plains to the upper Mississippi Valley, with blizzard conditions in certain regions.

With the exception of northern New England and upstate New York, freezing rain, sleet, and snow early in the day will turn to rain in most locations by Thursday night.

The storm's severity will peak with high winds, heavy snow, and probable blizzard conditions in sections of the western Great Lakes, ranging from Wisconsin and Illinois through Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio.

Strong winds are also forecast for parts of the East, including Georgia and the Carolinas.

Any early-day rain from at least North Carolina northward may abruptly turn over to a brief spell of snow before disappearing rapidly.

Related article: Mountain Snow Decreasing Faster Than Anticipated Due to Climate Change