Midwest, Ohio Valley Threatened by Significant Cold Blast Next Week

The upcoming cold blast is expected to drop temperatures into levels more akin to those observed in the fall season.

CPC

The Climate Prediction Center's 6-10 day temperature anomaly outlook shows significant warm temperature anomalies, centered over Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Nevada. These warm anomalies look to be produced by strong high pressure building up across the West Coast into Canada. As a result of this strong ridge, a strong low pressure system looks to drop south into the United States. This system looks to be the summer version of the infamous polar vortex, and even though the harsh cold is reduced due to the summer season, anomalous cold is still expected. For this reason, we see below normal temperature anomalies stretching from Montana to the Atlantic Ocean, maximized over Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Iowa. These aforementioned states could see temperatures drop into the low-40s, or even an isolated upper-30 degree reading.

Drag me to storm models

On the morning of July 16th, we see the cold blast taking hold over much of the country. Lows below 60 degrees extend from Montana to North Dakota, down to Kansas and West Virginia. We then see the core of the cold slamming the Plains and Midwest, where lows in the 40s can be expected in many spots. Towards the Great Lakes in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, lower-40s may be possible.

Drag me to storm models

By the morning of July 17th, the cold is beginning to recede from the western Plains, but is only intensifying in the Ohio Valley. We still see lows around the mid-40s around Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan, with lows flirting with 50 degrees closer to Missouri, Nebraska and Kansas. The coldest weather now stretches into the Northeast, with states like Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont and New Hampshire experiencing lows deep into the 40s. The mountainous regions of West Virginia could actually see lows nearing 40 degrees, or even into the upper 30s.

Make sure any sensitive outdoor plants are prepared for this cold blast, as damage could be done due to the longevity and pure anomaly of this cold weather event.

Andrew