Arctic attack to begin 2025: How the 'polar vortex' could impact January's forecast
The extent of the cold could be dependent on a piece of the polar vortex.
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Buckle up for an invasion of some of the coldest air in years, arriving in a few days from now.
This arctic cold will come on the heels of the warmest stretch of December weather with 60-degree warmth on Sunday. The next few days into the new year will gradually be getting colder, but the arctic invasion waits until the weekend.
The New Year's Eve storms Tuesday evening will be the first domino that sets off the rest, accelerating into the weekend. Highs will be in the 40s on Wednesday and only in the 30s on Thursday and Friday. Highs may struggle to even get to 30 degrees on Saturday and Sunday.
There is a potential snowstorm for next Monday that could potentially unlock a piece of the polar vortex. While details are still limited at this point, there is a slight risk of heavy snow according to the Climate Prediction Center between Jan. 7 and 11. The location, intensity and timing will be known closer to the weekend. Even if there is no storm or it is a minor snow event, the cold behind that storm by the middle or end of the first full week of 2025 will be some of the most-intense cold seen across the city in years.
The amount of cold will depend on if a piece of the "polar vortex" disconnects and dives down into the Northeast. That will depend on the storm potential, as well as air and ocean patterns over the next few days. The "polar vortex" is a large low-pressure system that lives around the Arctic Circle but occasionally can be split up and send extremely cold weather to lower latitudes like New York.
If the polar vortex can help accelerate the potential polar plunge of extreme cold, then high temperatures may be stuck in the teens with single digits at night, feeling like below zero. That is not yet set in stone, and the extent of the cold will be known more into next week.
Stay tuned for updates and follow Allan along on social media for the latest updates on this potential cold and snow.
