Severe cold forecast for much of the United States before spring

It will be very cold in much of the United States this weekend, but spring is just around the corner.

On Saturday, the arctic cold will cause the upper part to explode Midwest of Dakotas And Minnesota until Nebraska, Iowa And Wisconsinas well as parts of Montana And Wyoming.

Freezing temperatures will target East and the South Sunday, while the 12th atmospheric river this season will begin to move in California.

Here’s what you need to know about this weekend’s weather:

The Midwest

It will be so cold and windy in parts of the Midwest Saturday that the wind chill could drop to 30 degrees below freezing, said Bob Larson, senior meteorologist at AccuWeather.

The coldest places will be Dakotas And western and northern Minnesotahe said, with wind chills between minus 10 and 30.

“It’s a bitter cold you usually find in January, not a few days after the start of spring,” he said. “It’s pretty tough for this late in the season.”

Heavy lake effect snowfall is also expected to hit the Great Lakes and the Ohio Valley this weekend.

The vernal equinox is set for 5:24 p.m. EDT Monday.

Temperatures and winds will ease across the region on Sunday.

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Ballast

The cold should have an impact on Midwest begins to move east Saturday evening, bringing snow and possible lake effect squalls to parts of Michigan, northern ohio, Indiana, northwestern Pennsylvania And western new York.

Snow is expected to impact parts of the region, with up to six inches expected from Erie, Pennsylvania, For Buffalo and outside of Rochester, NY.

Winds could blow up to 45 mph.

“For this late in the season, it’s pretty impressive,” Larson said.

The new season brings something to look forward to relatively quickly, he said.

“Much of the Northeast And Mid Atlantic beyond this weekend, the cold snap could see mild, quiet, storm-free weather in the early days of spring,” Larson said.

South

A large part of the South can expect a late season frost, with north texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, northern louisiana, north-central MississippiAnd north georgiaincluding Atlanta, among the areas likely to be affected.

Sub-freezing temperatures will affect the region Saturday night and Sunday morning, threatening early crops and gardens, Larson said.

The National Weather Service has issued several frost watches for this time across the region, indicating temperatures could be as low as 20 degrees.

California will experience its 12th riverine atmospheric storm

Another atmospheric river will begin to affect Southern California Sunday evening, with the storm continuing through the middle of next week.

The worst of the storm is expected Tuesday through Wednesday, with several centimeters of rain expected at low altitudes and snow in the mountains.

Atmospheric river: The weather phenomenon stretches thousands of miles from the tropics to the western United States

Florida

In the meantime Floridawhich is experiencing an unusually dry winter, will receive some much needed rain this weekend.

Widespread rain and scattered thunderstorms are expected across much of the state.

Thunderstorms are not expected to be severe.

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Contributor: Christine Fernando, USA TODAY