Huge cold front to sweep across the US

A cold front is expected to sweep across most of the US next week, and some western and northern states have already felt the chill.

Snow and rain have prompted several winter weather advisories and warnings in Alaska, California, Montana and Utah following two cold systems this week. While temperatures have been mostly on par with the season elsewhere, a flurry of cold air will spread the low temperatures into the central United States and beyond.

Weather Channel meteorologist Tiffany Sanova said the “strongest cold front of the season so far” is expected to bring “rain, severe weather and snow” all the way from the Canadian border down to the Gulf of Mexico. Coupled with poor conditions, temperatures will drop to around freezing in some parts, with temperatures becoming even colder overnight, especially towards the end of next week.

Severe rain showers are forecast for central Texas, including Austin and Dallas, on Monday, November 18. Precipitation will move east Tuesday into Wednesday toward the Northern Plains states of Kansas, Nebraska and South Dakota. Rain is also expected to affect the states on the southeastern coast, with Florida, Georgia and Virginia.

While the western states are already dealing with colder than normal weather for the season, a low pressure front will move in from the Pacific starting Sunday. Temperature maps from the National Weather Service (NWS) show daytime lows of 36°F in Oregon and northern Nevada on Monday, reaching a freezing 32°F in southeastern Montana.

Newsweek has contacted NWS for comment via email.

Overnight into Monday, Nevadans may need to put an extra blanket or two on the bed as temperatures will drop to 9°F in parts, the coldest in the country at that time. Subzero will be felt across several states, including Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming and Colorado.

Into Tuesday during the day it won’t get much warmer and the cold front will spread east further into the Great Plains. North Dakota will be hit with chills of 36 to 38°F, while Minnesotans will warm up a bit with temperatures in the low 40s.

Overnight into Wednesday, Texas and New Mexico will reach lows of 25 to 26°F in its northernmost regions, while neighboring Arizona will reach lows of 20°F.

By Thursday, November 21, much of Central and North America will feel the brunt of the cold front as it continues its path eastward. Temperatures will be just above freezing during the day in North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa and Missouri.

However, there will be a respite along the west coast. The air will feel a bit warmer in California and Oregon, where the NWS expects between 58 and 72°F on Thursday.