North America braces for possible 'Arctic blast' emergency: Temperature could drop 30 degrees Celsius within 48 hours | Science and the planet

The winter of 2023/24 has started exceptionally mild in North America. December turned out to be a very warm month for most of the United States and Canada. Many temperature records were broken. At Christmas, there has historically been little snow in North America, making it a green Christmas in most places. This record warmth and lack of snow was caused by a high pressure area that remained over most of the United States and Canada for almost the entire month.

_{Read more below the picture}

But the period of mild winter temperatures appears to have come to an end. At least for a large part of the country. Part of the polar vortex will move south in the coming days, leading to significant cooling. Starting on January 10, a branch of the polar vortex extends across western Canada, transporting cold air from the northwest to the southeast. When this happens, it is called an “Arctic blast” or “Arctic outbreak” in North America. This indicates the rapid influx of extremely cold air from the Arctic, causing a sudden and sharp drop in temperatures. The cold will reach its peak over the weekend. Temperatures will then drop in many areas to between 15 to 20 degrees Celsius below normal. Meteorological agencies indicate that the cold snap, with a temperature drop of 20-30 degrees Celsius, will be more severe after recent mild weeks. Scientists And Meteorologists We therefore call for monitoring the situation closely and even talking about a climate emergency.

_{Read more below the picture}

The question is whether eastern and southern regions of North America will also share in the extreme cold, and how long the cold will last. The latest forecasts tentatively call for less severe winter cold in the Eastern Midwest or East Coast. But areas of low pressure driven by abundant energy in the polar vortex can still bring winter weather into these places. These storms could cover parts of the United States, which are currently green, in snow. Next week's cold air appears to be able to move eastward.

Which animals can you best provide additional food in winter and how? (+)

Direct winter spray. Light snow will fall in Flanders – up to -9 degrees tonight, but temperatures are expected to drop to -20 degrees

After a Christmas holiday with torrential rain and torrential winds, King Winter will invade Europe with a “cold shot”: what can we expect? (+)