Parts of 10 states are currently under freeze warnings due to a high-pressure system that is bringing lake-effect snow to the Great Lakes and New England. As a result, sub-zero temperatures are expected to reach the Deep South.
The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued frost alerts for Alabama, Arkansas, the Carolinas, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas. These alerts are warning farmers of the potential for crop damage and advising homeowners to protect their outdoor plumbing from freezing temperatures.
According to the National Weather Service (NWS), snowfall is expected in the northern regions due to a high-pressure front extending from the northern Plains to the Gulf of Mexico. This snowfall will be intensified by a low-pressure system moving down from Canada.
Lake-effect snow occurs when cold air interacts with the moisture from warm bodies of water, resulting in precipitation. This weather phenomenon is commonly observed in the Great Lakes region, often caused by the movement of a Clipper system that brings cold air from Canada.
This winter has already brought several episodes of lake-effect snow to the region.
The high-pressure system will also push cold air underneath and to the east of its front, resulting in a settling of cold temperatures over the Deep South on Tuesday. In this region, temperatures are expected to drop to the 20s and 30s Fahrenheit.
According to the NWS, they stated on Tuesday that the current cold snap is expected to be temporary, as temperatures are anticipated to warm up to near average by Thursday throughout the South.
Temperatures are set to drop as low as 27 degrees early Tuesday morning in the northeastern parts of Texas, southeastern Oklahoma, northwestern Louisiana, and southwestern Arkansas.
In western Arkansas, the temperatures will drop to 28 degrees, while in eastern Arkansas, it will be even colder, reaching as low as 25 degrees.
Lows in northern Mississippi, western Tennessee, and the Missouri Bootheel are expected to persist. In eastern Mississippi, temperatures will drop to 27 degrees, while southern parts of the state, along with southeastern Louisiana, will experience lows of 31 degrees.
Temperatures in southern Tennessee, as well as northern and central Alabama, are projected to plummet to 24 degrees, while southern Alabama is expected to reach a low of 30 degrees.
In Georgia, temperatures will drop to the mid-20s, while central South Carolina will experience lows of 30 degrees. Small craft near lakes in South Carolina could face hazardous conditions due to winds reaching 30 miles an hour.
Sub-freezing temperatures of 29 degrees will persist in the northern parts of South Carolina and southern areas of North Carolina until Tuesday morning.
In January, the continental U.S. experienced a blast of cold air from the Arctic. This weather event brought snow to northern states and freezing wind chills to the Deep South.
In December 2022, Texas experienced an unusually severe winter freeze due to a sudden cold snap. This extreme weather event had a significant impact on the state’s energy infrastructure.
