Arctic Blast Brings Bitter Cold, Heavy Snow, and Travel Chaos Across Northern US

A person clears the snow from the sidewalk in Lowville, N.Y., on Nov. 30, 2024. Cara Anna/AP Photo

An Arctic blast is gripping large swaths of the United States, bringing bitterly cold temperatures and heavy snowfall that has blanketed parts of the Great Lakes, Midwest, and Northeastern regions, with several states declaring emergencies and the National Weather Service (NWS) warning that travel in the hardest-hit regions will be difficult or outright impossible.

“Bands of intense, very heavy lake effect snow will continue downwind of the Great Lakes through this weekend,” the NWS said in an alert issued at 3 p.m. EST on Nov. 30. “Preliminary snowfall totals show some locations have already seen over 3 feet of snow! Travel in these areas will remain very difficult to impossible.”

The latest NWS short-range forecast discussion, released at 2:25 p.m. EST on Nov. 30, predicted that below-average temperatures will dominate from the Northern Plains to the East Coast, with high temperatures 10–20 degrees Fahrenheit below average.

By Monday, the below average temperatures are expected to spread farther southeast along much of the East Coast, while cold air streaming across the relatively warm Great Lakes will keep lake effect snows “very active” over the weekend, with the potential to bring another 1–3 feet of snow to areas that have already seen heavy amounts.

“Bitter cold and heavy lake effect snow will continue across the northern U.S as our Arctic outbreak continues through the weekend,” the NWS said in an alert issued at 2:30 p.m. EST on Nov. 30. “Dangerous wind chills will reside over the northern Plains and Upper Midwest while heavy lake effect snows impact the Great Lakes.”

The impact of the Arctic blast led the governors of New York and Pennsylvania to declare states of emergency and mobilize the National Guard to assist local communities. In a Saturday press release, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul urged residents in impacted regions to stay vigilant and avoid unnecessary travel.

“My administration is working around the clock with our state agencies and over 100 National Guard members on the ground to support local communities,“ she said in a statement. ”Please heed travel advisories and look out for one another. Together, we will weather this storm.”

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro’s declaration authorized additional resources to assist with relief efforts in the hardest-hit regions.

“As we continue working with local leaders in Erie County to get trucks and cars moved off roads, I’ve also signed a disaster declaration for Erie County to send all necessary resources to the area,“ Shapiro said in a statement. ”Stay off the roads if you can, be safe, and follow instructions from PEMA [Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency] and your local authorities.”

Hochul’s office said that travel advisories have been issued due to poor driving conditions for Jefferson and Lewis counties, as well as portions of Erie County.

“Hazardous to impossible travel conditions are expected through Monday due to snow covered roads and reduced visibilities,” Hochul’s office stated. “Wind gusts will likely cause blowing and drifting snow, and isolated power outages. Snow will accumulate rapidly in persistent snow bands, and visibility will be drastically reduced with near whiteout conditions.”

In the past 24 hours, Pennsylvania State Police have responded to nearly 200 incidents, according to Shapiro’s office, which urged motorists who cannot avoid travel to carry food, water, and warm clothing or blankets in case the bad weather leaves them stranded.

The frigid conditions are not confined to the Northeast and Great Lakes regions. The cold Arctic air mass has pushed its way southward, bringing subfreezing temperatures as far as Georgia. Northern Plains states, including North Dakota and Minnesota, have faced dangerously low wind chills, plunging to as low as minus 40 degrees, prompting cold-weather advisories and warnings of frostbite risk for anyone exposed to the elements, according to a Nov. 29 advisory from the NWS. Subfreezing temperatures are forecast this weekend along the southeastern Atlantic coast and inland Gulf Coast, including parts of north Florida.

“Widespread Freeze Warnings are in effect as these temperatures can kill crops and other sensitive vegetation as well as damage unprotected outdoor plumbing,” the NWS warned.

Meanwhile, the storm’s impacts have extended beyond snow and cold. The interior valleys of California, the Pacific Northwest, and the Northern Great Basin face poor air quality due to stagnant air conditions, and much of the contiguous United States will be dry.