Arctic blast targets New York City, New York and Boston, Massachusetts with snow, wind, and rapid freeze

Arctic air surges south from Canada

A deep surge of Arctic air drops out of eastern Canada and lunges south across the northeastern quarter of the United States. The cold advances fast. The ground is already locked in ice and snow. Lakes and rivers hold a frozen skin. The air mass travels over frozen terrain with little chance to warm.

More than 100 million people across the Northeast and nearby regions face the most severe cold of the winter in terms of actual temperatures and how it feels. The first phase brings snow. Then comes a rapid freeze. Wind follows. The cold settles in.

Travel grows difficult. Flight delays and cancellations are expected from the Midwest into the Northeast. Highways turn slick as wet slush hardens in minutes.

Snow bands pivot from the Great Lakes to the Appalachians

Snow develops along the advancing Arctic front and pivots from the Great Lakes toward the Appalachians on Friday. In parts of the Great Lakes region and on west facing slopes of the Appalachians, 1 to 3 inches of snow are expected. The first flakes fall with temperatures near freezing. The air then crashes colder. The snow turns powdery. Slushy patches freeze in place.

East of the Appalachians across the mid Atlantic, snowfall is lighter. Some locations see only passing snow showers. The pattern then turns dry, windy, and sharply colder.

Across New England, a storm forms along the Arctic front as it nears the Atlantic. This zone of enhanced snow may produce an inch or more on Saturday. In a narrow corridor, totals may rise higher. The snow thickens. Visibility drops. Roads glaze.

City by city: timing and rapid freezeup

In Detroit, MI, bursts of snow arrive from late Thursday night into Friday midday as the Arctic front moves through. After a morning high near 35°F, temperatures plunge through the 20s into the teens. The 1 to 3 inches of snow and slush freeze solid. Commutes grow slow. By Saturday morning, temperatures settle just above zero. Afternoon readings struggle into the mid teens. The cold returns again Saturday night.

In New York City, NY, snow begins Friday evening and continues into early Saturday. Temperatures hover in the 20s Friday night, then fall into the teens during the day Saturday even as sunshine returns. The city moves through the coldest part of winter. Saturday night drops into the single digits. Sunday night falls again toward the same depths. Forecasts indicate temperatures will dip below the season low marks recorded in late January.

In Boston, MA, snow holds off until late Friday night. Saturday turns wintry with snow of varying intensity. Afternoon temperatures sink into the teens. By Saturday night, readings fall near zero. Sunday recovers into the teens. Sunday night slips back into single digits. The cold presses on.

Wicked winds drive dangerous wind chills

North northwest winds surge behind the Arctic front with gusts of 35 to 55 miles per hour. Air temperatures drop into the single digits or below zero across much of the Northeast. Wind strips heat from exposed skin. The cold cuts deep. AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures fall to dangerous levels.

People outdoors face a risk of frostbite and hypothermia. Skiers, boarders, and snowmobilers move into extreme conditions. Short exposures feel long. The wind howls across open ground. Trees bend. Drifts form.

Weekend hazards and a brief lull before another round of wintry travel

In most locations, the first half of the weekend brings the harshest conditions. Snow and wind combine. Travel turns slick. By Sunday afternoon, winds ease in some areas, though temperatures start the day at frigid levels. The February sun offers limited relief around midday. The cold returns after sunset where skies clear. Temperatures plunge again Sunday evening.

Farther south, tens of thousands remain without power in parts of Tennessee and Mississippi after a damaging ice storm nearly two weeks earlier. This Arctic surge remains north of the Florida Peninsula, which recently endured damaging freezes.

On Sunday, as warmer air builds over the northern Rockies and Plains, another batch of snow develops over the Great Lakes. Pockets of freezing rain or drizzle may form. The zone of slippery travel slides southeast across parts of the Ohio Valley and the central Appalachians. By Sunday night into Monday morning, the same hazards may reach parts of the mid Atlantic region.