First polar vortex of 2025 will bring dangerously frosty temperatures for millions of Americans
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Bitter cold sweeping across the majority of the US could bring storms that result in power outages and ‘significant’ travel disruptions. The media forecasting company said that it is expected to create a surge in demand for heating, and warned cold air in the Southeast could result in rolling blackouts and power grid issues.
![[A man and dog walk on a beach in Hempstead, New York, on Monday. Temperatures will drop quickly across the eastern US]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2024/12/31/16/2024-12-30T175437Z_117645132_RC2JZBAGU4CG_RTRMADP_3_USA-DAILYLIFE.jpg)
“The last two Januarys in the Upper Midwest (Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin and Michigan) have been well above the historical average spanning 1991-2020,” AccuWeather Senior Director of Forecasting Operations Dan DePodwin said, “January 2023 was 6.3 Fahrenheit above and January 2024 was 4.2 above. This January will end up below normal in this region for the first time since 2022.”.
![[Extensive cold will grip much of the eastern US, sending temperatures plummeting dozens of degrees below the historical average. The cold could create a surge in demand for heating]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2024/12/31/15/Extensive-Cold-12-31.jpg)
AccuWeather noted that snow could impact major metro areas, including, New York City, Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia, and Washington, DC. Lake effect snow is also likely for areas downwind of the Great Lakes. This week, as a cooling trend expands eastward, between 6-12 inches are forecast in that region by Thursday morning.
![[People walking over the Brooklyn Bridge in New York City on Monday. New York is one of several major metro areas that could see snowfall next month]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2024/12/31/16/2024-12-31T015200Z_1972095551_RC2UZBAIJ87X_RTRMADP_3_USA-DAILYLIFE.jpg)
