A powerful Arctic blast has swept across much of the United States, plunging temperatures to record lows and blanketing vast regions with snow and ice. The cold wave, among the harshest of the season, has gripped the eastern two-thirds of the country, affecting millions and disrupting travel nationwide.
According to the National Weather Service, the frigid air mass has brought some of this autumn’s coldest temperatures, with record lows expected across the Southeast — including Florida, where thermometers barely touched 80 degrees just a day earlier. Gusty winds, snow, and freezing rain have spread from the Midwest through the Appalachians, creating treacherous travel conditions and triggering red flag warnings across several states.
In the Great Lakes and Appalachian regions, forecasters warned of up to 8 inches (20 cm) of snow, with lake-effect bands around Lake Erie expected to dump heavy, localised snowfall. Cold weather alerts have been issued for Ohio, West Virginia, and Kentucky, while freezing temperatures are expected to extend as far south as Texas, Oklahoma, Alabama, and Georgia.
The weather chaos compounded nationwide travel disruptions. Thousands of flights were delayed or cancelled over the weekend, with long waits reported at major hubs like Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport. The situation has worsened amid the ongoing federal shutdown, which has forced air traffic controllers to work unpaid, leading to staff shortages and growing safety concerns.
In Florida, forecasters warned of wind chills dropping to the 30s (around -1°C). The temperature plunge has even revived the familiar warning about falling iguanas — cold-stunned reptiles that enter temporary paralysis and often drop from trees when temperatures dip below 40°F (4°C). Local authorities have opened heated shelters across several southern states to help residents cope with the freezing conditions.
The Arctic blast also hit regions still recovering from earlier disasters. In St. Louis, where many homes remain unrepaired after a devastating EF3 tornado in May, city officials opened emergency shelters for both the homeless and displaced residents.
Further north, hazardous road conditions have caused multiple accidents, including a pile-up on Interstate 40 in Tennessee after overnight snow. Michigan’s Upper Peninsula reported up to a foot of snow, while parts of Indiana and Wisconsin are bracing for accumulations of up to 11 inches. Meteorologists also cautioned that strong winds and “patchy blowing snow” could reduce visibility across the Midwest.
The cold has officially marked the end of the growing season in many areas. Agricultural forecasters issued freeze warnings for the Midwest, the Carolinas, and parts of the South, advising farmers to protect vulnerable crops. In northern Florida, growers rushed to harvest vegetables and insulate irrigation systems to prevent damage.
South Florida, however, is expected to escape the worst of the freeze. The region’s citrus and tropical crops remain safe for now, as temperatures are not projected to dip below the critical 28°F (-2.2°C) threshold. Christina Morton of the Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association said growers are cautiously optimistic. “The freezing temperatures are likely to miss our major growing regions,” she noted, adding that cooler weather could even improve the flavour and quality of crops such as strawberries and blueberries if frost is avoided.
As the Arctic air lingers, meteorologists predict that temperatures will remain below average across much of the country for several more days, keeping millions bundled up and travellers on alert amid one of the most widespread early-season cold outbreaks in recent years.
