“Siberian Express” Plunges Eastern U.S. into a Deep Freeze

Deadly cold returns to eastern half of US

An arctic blast dubbed the “Siberian Express” has plunged the eastern half of the United States, as far south as Florida, into a deep freeze.

Multiple record lows were broken this week, with the Midwest temperatures plunging  to -40ºC (-40ºF), and -45ºC in northern Ontario, Canada

States of emergency declared earlier this week remained in effect across Tennessee, Kentucky and Virginia, as the deep freeze claimed dozens of lives across the southern and eastern U.S. and Canada, including at least 18 fatalities in Tennessee and six others in Kentucky and North Carolina, according to media reports.

The latest surge of Arctic air could bring some of the coldest weather since the mid-1990s to portions of the Southeast, Mid-Atlantic states, and central Appalachians on Friday, said NWS.

Arctic air entrenched over the eastern half of the Nation will set the stage for a widespread ice and snow event from the Plains into the Northeast this weekend. Moisture return from the Gulf of Mexico will lead to heavy precipitation ahead of a surging warm front. The very cold air already in place will lead to a wide axis of snow, sleet and freezing rain Saturday and Sunday.

U.S. Weather HazMap. Source: NWS

Multiple severe weather Warnings, Advisories, and Watches have been issued for nearly every state.

Snow blankets the Middle East

Meantime, a rare cold front moving across the middle east, left parts of Israel, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria covered with up to 20cm (8 inches) of snow.