( CNN ) - As the number of fatalities associated with an ice storm in the South increased to eight, dangerous wind chills as low as 50 degrees Fahrenheit below zero are expected to pummel the Northeast.
The Weather Prediction Center warned that the freezing wind chills expected to batter New England "may be the worst felt in decades."
Wind chill advisories or warnings are in effect for more than 15 million people in the Northeast. Early on Friday morning, the alerts go into force, and they continue through Saturday afternoon.
The National Weather Service in Caribou, Maine, described the current Arctic outbreak as "epic and generational." "The coldest air mass now in the Northern Hemisphere is falling on the area Friday through Friday night."
Frostbite can develop in as little as 10 minutes under these harsh circumstances.
Thankfully, the terrible explosion will only persist for around 36 hours. By Sunday afternoon, temperatures are predicted to increase throughout the majority of the Northeast.
However, communities in the south that were crippled by a devastating ice storm this week saw one more round of bad weather before the weekend warmth. What's going on in the South and Northeast is as follows:
400,000 power outages and 8 fatalities in the South
More freezing rain fell on Thursday following the devastating ice storm that devastated portions of the South this week.
Parts of central and northern Texas, including the Fort Worth office of the meteorological service, were covered with about an inch of new ice.
The Fort Worth agency tweeted on Thursday, "We have around 0.20 inches of accumulated ice on trees here at the office." These side streets and our parking lot are ice rinks.
This week's storm has been related to at least eight fatalities in two states, according to officials:
• A 35-year-old driver was killed on Interstate 40 in Custer County, Oklahoma, on Thursday morning after his semi-truck skidded on ice and overturned, according to the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.
• The highway patrol said that a 45-year-old man was murdered in Payne County, Oklahoma after he lost control of his Ford F-150 pickup truck on an icy road on Thursday morning.
• On a section of US Highway 380 that was icy on Wednesday morning, a Dodge Ram pickup truck driven by a 46-year-old man lost control and crashed into a ditch, killing three people close to Brownfield, Texas. According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, the driver and two of his passengers died.
• The Texas Department of Public Safety confirmed to CNN on Wednesday that a 49-year-old motorist passed away this week after losing control of her pickup on an ice route north of Eldorado.
• According to the city's fire department, a 10-car pileup in south Austin claimed the life of one individual on Tuesday morning.
• Arlington, Texas, police said that one individual was killed when their car flipped over.
According to PowerOutage.us, more than 400,000 homes, companies, and other power consumers were without electricity on Thursday morning in addition to the hazardous driving conditions. The Austin region had the most outages.
In addition to Tennessee, 17,000 customers in Mississippi and 17,000 in Arkansas also had no power on Thursday due to the bitter weather.
The National Weather Service said that by Thursday afternoon, temperatures in ice-covered areas of Texas began to rise above freezing.
The NWS Austin/San Antonio office stated that "most areas have climbed above freezing with highs today ranging from the upper 30s in the north to the mid-50s farther south."
Residents were advised by the Texas A&M Forest Service to watch out for melting ice.
Keep in mind: Safety first, the forest service tweeted as ice and snow continued to weigh down branches around the state. "Don't evaluate your trees and dwellings until all the ice has melted." The ice is beginning to thaw, but it still poses a threat if it breaks off in large chunks.
It can feel like 27 below zero in Boston.
Starting on Friday, more than 15 million people will be subject to wind chill warnings as arctic temperatures and violent winds hit the Northeast.
The meteorological service stated that wind chills had not been experienced in northern and eastern Maine since previous outbreaks in 1982 and 1988.
All of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut are included in the alerts. They also cover a large portion of New York State outside of New York City and Long Island, northeast Pennsylvania, and northern New Jersey.
The region is predicted to experience brutal cold starting Friday morning, with the worst temperatures occurring Friday night and early Saturday.
In a large portion of New York State and New England, temperatures will plunge below zero. In northern New York and northern New England, temperatures will plunge to 15 to 25 degrees below zero.
However, ferocious winds will make the air seem much colder, with wind chills in northern New York State and northern New England falling to negative 35 to minus 50 degrees.
Avoid all outdoor activities on Friday and Saturday, according to a Facebook post from the New Hampshire Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. "Life-threatening situations outside may result from cold temperatures combined with the wind chill factor."
The wind chill in New York City could drop as low as 10 degrees below zero.
Governor Kathy Hochul issued a statement on Thursday stating that "New Yorkers across the state will face dangerously frigid temperatures and life-threatening wind chills this weekend."
"Now is the time to get ready: make a plan to spend less time outside this weekend and be aware of safe shelter options. Utilize caution if you want to use an alternative heat source, such as a space heater, and follow all essential procedures to make sure your home is safely heated.
The mayor of Boston also proclaimed a cold emergency for Friday through Sunday because the air there will feel like it is 27 degrees below zero.
Mayor Michelle Wu urged all Boston residents to exercise care, keep themselves warm and secure, and check on their neighbors during this weather emergency.
Although delays are anticipated, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation will run trains and buses roughly on schedule. Due to the forecasted extreme cold this weekend, there may be flight delays at both Logan International Airport and Worcester Regional Airport, according to reports.
The governor of Massachusetts claims that residents are setting up a shelter for those who need it. We urge anybody in need of a place to stay to take advantage of this invitation and spend the night at a warm, secure shelter rather than at the station, according to Maura Healey.
Public school districts in Boston, Springfield, and Worcester have made arrangements to dismiss students on Friday.
Boston Public Schools Superintendent Mary Skipper issued a statement on the school district's website explaining the decision to close for the day due to "extreme weather conditions and the fact that many of our students commute to and from school by walking or waiting for public transportation outside."
The announcement also urged needy families to utilize warming facilities on Friday and Saturday.
Ned Lamont, the governor of Connecticut, issued a warning about how fast such circumstances might become fatal.
As a result of the impending extreme cold, frostbite can appear on exposed skin in as little as 30 minutes, according to Lamont.
Long amounts of time spent outdoors under these circumstances are not only dangerous but also potentially lethal.
In all areas of Connecticut, there are shelters and warming facilities, and transportation may be arranged if necessary, according to Lamont.
According to officials, warming centers should also be accessible in Maine, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Vermont.
But the suffering won't last long. Between Saturday and Sunday, the region's high temperatures will increase by 20 to 30 degrees.
Sunday's highs will be above average for the majority of the Northeast, except northern Maine.
In advance of the exceptionally cold weather forecast, several states are likewise advising their citizens to keep careful. Chris Sununu, the governor of New Hampshire, is advising citizens to get ready for the "life-threatening freezing weather."
Right, this will be a cold weather emergency from Seabrook to Colebrook. So let's be clear that nobody won't be immune to what's coming down, he said.
Providence, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, and Vermont have all declared Friday school cancellations.
Maine is expected to endure severe low temperatures, which rarely happen around once every ten years, according to a news release from Maine Governor Janet Mills.
Additionally, owing to the bitterly cold weather, the zoos in Utica, New York, and Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, will be closed on Friday and Saturday, and they intend to keep the majority of their animals indoors.
Residents are being urged by authorities to get ready for the harsh weather and to keep an eye on their relatives and neighbors during this cold wave.
Canada is also seeing a considerable amount of icy blasts. According to Environment Canada, the whole provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, and Manitoba are all covered by "Extreme Cold" advisories.
An advisory from Environment Canada predicts a wind chill of 22 degrees below zero for Toronto. Quebec may also see wind chills between 36 and 67 degrees below zero in certain regions.
Comments / 0