A ferocious wave of Arctic air is gripping the central U.S., sending temperatures plummeting 20 to 50 degrees below average. Cold weather alerts now stretch from the Canadian border to Texas, with over a hundred daily record lows expected through Friday.
The deep freeze is already making history. Baker, Montana, hit a bone-chilling 22 degrees below zero on Sunday morning, smashing its previous record of 13 degrees below zero from 2006. Subzero temperatures could push as far south as Oklahoma, while parts of Montana and North Dakota may see temperatures as low as 40 degrees below zero. Factor in the brutal wind chills, and it will feel as cold as 60 below in the Northern Plains—dangerous enough to cause frostbite in just five minutes.
This Arctic assault isn’t stopping at the Plains. Florida will even feel the chill as cold air spills eastward. And it’s not just the cold—Winter Storm Kingston is moving in, layering snow and ice across the central and eastern states through late week.
With these extreme conditions, experts urge caution: stay hydrated, eat regularly and rest to keep your body functioning in the cold. Limit time outside, as hypothermia and frostbite are real threats.