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North America braces for possible 'Arctic blast' emergency: Temperature could drop 30 degrees Celsius within 48 hours |  Science and the planet

North America braces for possible 'Arctic blast' emergency: Temperature could drop 30 degrees Celsius within 48 hours | Science and the planet

In our country, we are already dealing with the first winter injection of 2024. But not only is it cold in parts of Europe, the United States and Canada are also preparing for the so-called “Arctic blast” in the coming days. This will pump icy cold air from the Arctic into the Earth, cooling it significantly. Scientists have already warned of dangerous situations.

The winter of 2023/24 has started exceptionally mild in North America. December turned out to be a very warm month for most of the United States and Canada. Many temperature records were broken. At Christmas, there has historically been little snow in North America, making it a green Christmas in most places. This record warmth and lack of snow was caused by a high pressure area that remained over most of the United States and Canada for almost the entire month.

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An elongated arm of cold air extends from northwest North America to the southeast. In many places temperatures are up to 20°C below normal for this time of year. © Carsten Hosten

But the period of mild winter temperatures appears to have come to an end. At least for a large part of the country. Part of the polar vortex will move south in the coming days, leading to significant cooling. Starting on January 10, a branch of the polar vortex extends across western Canada, transporting cold air from the northwest to the southeast. When this happens, it is called an “Arctic blast” or “Arctic outbreak” in North America. This indicates the rapid influx of extremely cold air from the Arctic, causing a sudden and sharp drop in temperatures. The cold will reach its peak over the weekend. Temperatures will then drop in many areas to between 15 to 20 degrees Celsius below normal. Meteorological agencies indicate that the cold snap, with a temperature drop of 20-30 degrees Celsius, will be more severe after recent mild weeks. Scientists And Meteorologists We therefore call for monitoring the situation closely and even talking about a climate emergency.

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In the central United States, temperatures can drop more than 30 degrees Celsius within 48 hours.
In the central United States, temperatures can drop more than 30 degrees Celsius within 48 hours. © meteocyl.fr

The question is whether eastern and southern regions of North America will also share in the extreme cold, and how long the cold will last. The latest forecasts tentatively call for less severe winter cold in the Eastern Midwest or East Coast. But areas of low pressure driven by abundant energy in the polar vortex can still bring winter weather into these places. These storms could cover parts of the United States, which are currently green, in snow. Next week's cold air appears to be able to move eastward.

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