United States the global cold spot as winter sends its best southward

With climatological spring (March-May) around the bend, winter remains firmly in control of the Lower 48. Some of the coldest weather of the season — and so late in the season — has overtaken the country. As has been the case this winter, it is one of the few truly frigid spots on Earth.

Weather Watch

Late-season brr. Temperatures in North Dakota fell as low as minus-45 Tuesday, the second coldest reading there since 1989, as one of the largest Arctic outbreaks of winter continues to spread across more of the contiguous United States. Numerous record lows are likely in the days to come, especially over the south-central and southern U.S. to the Gulf Coast.

But not in Alaska. With the Iditarod starting March 3, lack of snow in Anchorage has shifted the famed race’s start northward about 1,000 miles to Fairbanks. The winter has been persistently warm and snowless in the state’s south. Anchorage has seen only 4.3 inches of snow since Dec. 1.

More snow in places that don’t see a ton. On the south side of the deep Arctic chill — like other instances this winter — snow will fall heavily in places it doesn’t regularly do so. Regional snow champions may end up the beaches of southeast Virginia, northeast North Carolina, or far southern Maryland, where a swath of 5 to 10 inches and as much as 1 foot is forecast.

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Baby seal rescued after wandering streets of Connecticut city.

The coldest place on Earth

In the land of the free and the home of the climate change denier, it has been a winter. As with many times across recent weeks, one of the few cold spots on the planet is the Lower 48.

Today’s weather maps are particularly impressive. Temperatures as much as 30 to 50 degrees below normal cover a wide swath from southwestern Canada through the United States.

The footprint of displaced Arctic air is around its peak on Wednesday. Intensity of the cold blast remains impressive through Friday before waning this weekend.

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Weekday morning newsletter by a journalist/forecaster that connects weather and climate change dots while occasionally stirring the pot.

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