After the ball drops for the new year, 2025’s arctic outbreak begins Wednesday and the cold will be here to stay by the first weekend of January.
According to an article by the New York Post, January is shaping up to be the coldest in a decade as the polar vortex dips south across the eastern half of the United States - shocking a nation that has enjoyed an unusually balmy end of the year.
The NOAA NWS Climate Prediction Center has projected about an 80% chance of below normal temperatures for our area.
“It’s going to get cold, and then very cold,” a Fox Weather meteorologist told The Post Monday.
“Based on the latest long-range data, this January has the potential to be the coldest since 2014,” they added.
North Florida could see temperatures around freezing with overnight lows for Jacksonville and Tallahassee hovering around 30 degrees.
What does below normal temperatures mean for mid-January?
Typically, our high temperatures are around 40°, with lows in the 20s. Although specifics are still uncertain, NOAA suggests we might experience several days with highs not exceeding freezing and lows in the single digits and teens.
What about snow?
There is a “pretty good chance” the vortex will bring with it “significant winter storms,” Fox Weather cautioned.
Although the temperature will be low enough for snow, numerous other uncertain factors must align for a major snowstorm to occur. According to the NOAA, it's possible, but it's uncertain whether a significant storm will form or affect us.
According to Fox Weather, “The prime window for these winter storms would be the middle to end of next week.” They added that the southeast could even see snow or ice.
According to Fox Weather, this setup will sink temperatures nearly everywhere east of the Rocky Mountains and increase snow chances in the Northeast and Great Lakes.
“We’re talking about a big, big cool-down, to say the least, especially for places up and down the East Coast as we head into really the first few weeks of January,” FOX Weather meteorologist Kendall Smith said.
Be Prepared -
Make sure you are prepared - your home, your car and bundle up Lehigh Valley!
Also, check on the elderly and pets during times of cold weather.
Check back regularly on WGOLV for updated weather forecasts by Meteorologist, Bobby Martirch of Eastern PA Weather Authority.
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