This weekend, New York may experience dangerously cold temperatures as an arctic blast threatens the whole Northeast and places inhabitants in some locations at risk of frostbite in as little as three minutes.
Forecasters predict that New York City’s temperatures will drop to a chilly 9 degrees on Friday evening, with wind chills making it seem as cold as -10 degrees.
Christopher Tate, a meteorologist with the FOX Forecast Center, told The Post, “This is the coldest air in the northeast in several years, with temperatures not seen since 2016.”
Tate predicted that blustery winds will continue to batter the city on Saturday morning, with the temperature hanging around zero.
Even if Gotham’s afternoon temperature will reach a high of 27 degrees, the terrible conditions will make it feel like 0 degrees, he claimed.
CNN said on Friday that more than 15 million people in portions of eastern New York and throughout New England were under wind chill warnings.
Tate stated that in some areas of northern Maine, wind chill temperatures could reach as low as -30 to -60 degrees.
“Temperatures will be sub-zero in most parts of the northeast,” Tate added.
Tate also cautioned that predictions that windchill temperatures might cause frostbite in as little as ten minutes were “understatements.”
“Especially in northern Maine, when the air is that cold, frostbite can occur in as little as three minutes because the skin freezes so quickly,” he said.
“It will be dangerous for anyone who is going to be outdoors.”
Tate ascribed a portion of the astonishing wind chill to opposing high- and low-pressure systems lurking over the Great Lakes, northern Plains, and northeast.
“When high-pressure and low-pressure systems rotate in opposite directions, tunneling occurs,” he explained.
Thursday, in anticipation of the strong arctic blast, New York Governor Kathy Hochul issued a warning urging citizens to “limit time outdoors” and to be cautious while using space heaters and other alternative heating sources.
Hochul stated, “Now is the time to prepare: limit your time outdoors this weekend and know where to seek shelter.”
Politicians throughout the northeast issued similar warnings, with the mayor of Boston, Michelle Wu, urging locals to assist their neighbors in preparation for the severe weather.
CNN reported that public schools in Boston, Springfield, and Worcester have already opted to close on Friday.
The availability of shelters and warming centers is anticipated in Connecticut, Maine, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Vermont, according to the news source.
The chilly air pummeling New York and the northeast comes hot on the heels of an arctic ice storm that crippled parts of the South earlier this week. Tate noted, however, that the two explosions were caused by two distinct air systems.
“A separate low-pressure system brought ice and freezing rain [to the South],” he explained of the terrible storm that knocked out electricity and killed at least nine individuals.
No precipitation is linked with this [in the northeast]…only chilly air.
Tate also offered reassurance to residents of New York or New England who were afraid about losing power due to the cold weather.
“Equipment up here is designed to handle the bitter cold,” he remarked.
“Wind would cause any outages, but with gusts not expected to exceed 35 or 45 miles per hour, the likelihood of wind-driven outages will be low.”
Nonetheless, Tate advised New Yorkers to remain watchful, remain indoors, and cover up to the limit if they must venture outdoors.
“Everyone in the New York metropolitan area should wear multiple layers of clothing,” he advised.
“We may see wind chills of 10 degrees below zero…
That is simply unsafe.”
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