New York, U.S. Northeast Face One More Day of Frigid Cold

The Arctic air gripping much of the U.S. will slowly release its hold by tomorrow and a storm forecast to move up the East Coast later in the week will probably spare New York City another major snowfall.

Snow, sleet and rain without a lot of accumulation is all New York will probably receive from the storm that will move up the East Coast later this week, said Matthew Rinde, senior meteorologist with AccuWeather Inc. in State College, Pennsylvania. Before that, New York and the rest of the U.S. Northeast will have to endure more frigid temperatures.

“It’s going to drop back down the single digits this morning climbing back into the teens during the day,” Rinde said. “It looks like milder weather is on the way Tuesday.”

Wind chill warnings and advisories stretch from Maine through parts of New York and Pennsylvania and into Michigan, meaning frostbite and hypothermia are possible for anyone outside who isn’t properly dressed for cold weather. A wind chill warning is issued when the combination of wind and temperature will make it feel at least minus 25 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 32 Celsius).

Hypothermia sets in when the body’s temperature falls to 95 degrees Fahrenheit or lower and kills an estimated 28,000 people per year, according to National Weather Service. Signs of hypothermia include shivering, confusion, memory loss, slurred speech and drowsiness, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta.

The advisories and warnings expire about 9 a.m. New York time.

Coldest in Century

International Falls, Minnesota, on the Canadian border, was the coldest spot in the U.S. yesterday at minus 37 degrees Fahrenheit, the meteorologist said. On Jan. 22, it was minus 46 Fahrenheit, the lowest it’s been since 1908.

Temperatures ranged from 25 degrees in Knoxville, Tennessee to 9 degrees in Indianapolis to minus 1 in Omaha, Nebraska.

Yesterday’s high temperature in Central Park was 24 degrees with a low of 11 just before midnight, according to the National Weather Service in Upton, New York.

“We’ve just really received a direct shot of air from the Arctic, which was helped by a dip in the jetstream down into the U.S.,” said Carl Erickson, a meteorologist with AccuWeather.

January’s heating degree days value in Central Park through yesterday was 803, or 58 above normal, according to the weather service. The value, calculated by subtracting the daily average temperature from a base of 65 degrees, is designed to show energy demand. The higher the value, the cooler the weather, and thus the more energy being used to heat homes and business.

Rinde said by tomorrow temperatures in New York would rise to the mid-30s as the rain, snow and sleet started to arrive.

While the coastal areas of New Jersey, New York and New England would probably miss a heavy snowfall, areas in the mountains and interior may receive up to 12 inches, he said.

“The northwestern New Jersey, the Poconos and the Catskills could get upward to a foot,” Rinde said.

Areas west of Boston by Interstate-495 in Massachusetts may also receive more than 6 inches, he said.