It's about to get very, very cold for lots of Americans. A series of blasts of polar vortex air from the north will bring subfreezing temperatures as well as ice and snowstorms to 40 US states, affecting more than 250 million people, according to AccuWeather and meteorologists at many other outlets.
The conditions could be the most extreme cold-weather event since 2011, according to AccuWeather, and will last for more than a week as a series of Arctic air systems move through large parts of the country. In addition to the danger the cold weather itself poses, experts predict there could be travel disruptions, damage to homes and buildings and rolling blackouts in parts of the country.
The first temperature dips will begin on Jan. 3 and could continue to mid-January. Here's what you should know about the polar vortex storms.
What's a polar vortex?
Both poles, north and south, have a constant large area of low pressure and cold air that ramps up in the winter, according to the National Weather Service. Sometimes, as is happening this month, the vortex expands, sending a surge of Arctic air southward into the US. It's happened before, most recently in 2019 and in 2014, affecting hundreds of millions of people across the country.
What areas will be affected?
The winter blasts will extend over a wide range that includes the midwest, the east coast and southern states. Forecast maps show below-freezing temperatures extending from the entire eastern part of the country all the way to parts of California and Oregon and as far south as Arizona, Texas and Alabama. For northern states, temperatures could drop to below -20 degrees as early as Jan. 4.
How long will this storm last?
AccuWeather is predicting a series of three outbreaks, the first happening Jan. 3-4, the second on Jan. 7-8 and the third from Jan. 11 to Jan. 12, although more could be coming after that in smaller areas of the country, likely the northeast and midwest as late as Jan. 15-16 if not longer.
How will my gadgets survive the great polar vortex of 2025?
Electronics don't do great in extreme temperatures, and if power outages become widespread, we may need our mobile phones to get information and our vehicles for warmth in case of an emergency. For cell phones, you can keep the device near your body to keep it above freezing, the temperature at which it may become unresponsive.
If you own an electric vehicle, you should try to keep it parked indoors in, say, a garage to mitigate the effects cold weather can have on its battery. Cold weather can affect the battery life of an EV, shortening its range by about 25 percent. In some extreme weather events, EV owners have used the vehicles to stay warm or to provide power back to their homes.
Will schools and events be disrupted?
Yes, it's very likely that the storms will cause school closures, power outages and the cancelation of events in a lot of areas. Check your local news outlets and consult weather apps and sites such as AccuWeather for the latest information.