Polar Vortex Brings Bone-Chilling Cold to Eastern US Next Week

According to forecasters, a powerful cold front is expected to bring a "significant" cold snap to parts of the Eastern US early next week. The cold air will first move into the Great Lakes region on Sunday, then spread eastward into the Ohio Valley and East by Sunday night and Monday.

Meteorologists warn that this cold spell has the potential to be the most significant of the fall season so far, with temperatures forecast to plummet 15-25 degrees below average across a broad swath of the Eastern US. The southern Appalachian Mountains could even see light snow accumulations, though this would not be unusual for this time of year.

The cold weather could also bring the first frost or freeze of the season to parts of the Southeast, including areas of Mississippi, Georgia, and potentially northern Florida that have yet to experience a freeze. Additionally, the Great Lakes region and western Pennsylvania and New York may see the first bout of accumulating lake effect snow.

While the cold blast will be quite intense, meteorologists say it will be relatively short-lived, with milder air expected to return by the middle of next week. Nevertheless, residents of the Eastern US are advised to brace for a jarring taste of winter in the coming days.