Nov 2025 – The polar vortex weakens in late November, allowing frigid Arctic air to spill southward into the United States, setting the stage for a series of cold outbreaks later in the winter [2].

Dec 3, 2025 – An Arctic air mass descends across the Plains, Midwest, Great Lakes and Northeast, bringing record lows of –11 °F in Des Moines and –7 °F in Cedar Rapids, while wind chills reach –10 °F to –25 °F; Amy Butler warns that a second cold wave could hit by mid‑December as the vortex “becomes more stretched out” [2].

Dec 8, 2025 – The National Weather Service forecasts a new Arctic blast for Dec 12‑14 in the Northeast, part of multiple Arctic waves through mid‑December, with a potential –3 °F low in Madison, Wisconsin [7].

Dec 9, 2025 – Judah Cohen of AER JANUS predicts mid‑December will bring the coldest period of the season, citing a stretched polar vortex that drives Arctic air far south; the CPC 6‑10‑day outlook shows below‑average temperatures Dec 12‑16 [12].

Dec 9, 2025 – A second surge of frigid air is expected Dec 12‑16, potentially delivering the coldest temperatures of the season across the Eastern U.S., as the polar vortex elongates between East Asia and North America [15].

Dec 12, 2025 – The NWS projects Arctic air moving south from the High Plains on Friday, spreading into the Central Plains Saturday and the Mid‑South Sunday, with temperatures 20‑30 °F below normal, wind chills under 30 °F, and extreme lows of 10‑15 °F below zero in Minneapolis and 0‑5 °F below zero in Chicago [6].

Dec 13, 2025 – Extreme cold warnings cover North Dakota, West Virginia and Virginia; near‑record lows threaten the High Plains to the Mid‑Atlantic, the USPS alerts of mail delays in 13 states, and forecasters say the most intense cold will ease before Christmas [5].

Dec 27, 2025 – Renee Duff notes that a pair of potent cold fronts will plunge into the northern tier as 2025 ends, bringing a bitter Jan 1‑5 across the Northeast and Great Lakes; a prior winter storm drops heavy snow and ice, causing >650 flight delays, >600 cancellations, and power outages for >30,000 Michigan customers [4].

Jan 12, 2026 – A powerful Arctic surge spills southward into the Midwest and East over the next ten days; the first front pushes through the Great Lakes Tuesday night, the second arrives early weekend with sub‑zero wind chills and gusts near 40 mph, and snow totals could exceed a foot in higher elevations, with pockets reaching the Tennessee River Valley [11][14].

Jan 17, 2026 – A winter storm blankets the Midwest and East Coast, creating whiteout conditions in Cleveland, sub‑zero wind chills from the Plains to the Northeast, and up to four inches of snow from the Florida Panhandle to Maine; the event echoes a record‑breaking Jan 2025 Panhandle snowstorm [8].

Jan 19, 2026 – An Arctic blast targets the South weekend, with the front reaching Kansas‑Kentucky Friday and racing into Texas‑Louisiana Saturday, delivering cold rain, freezing rain, ice and snow; temperatures sit 20‑30 °F below average with highs in the 30s‑40s, prompting officials to urge vehicle winterization and emergency kits [10][13].

Jan 20, 2026 – The Arctic blast dominates the forecast through Tuesday, keeping highs in the 20s, wind chills of –5 °F to –15 °F, and prompting 10TV to declare a Weather Impact Alert Day alongside a NWS Cold Weather Advisory; forecasters warn the cold could return next weekend [9].

Jan 22, 2026 – The Arctic blast sweeps 30 states, threatening 160 million people; snowfall may exceed 12 inches from Colorado to New York, wind chills could plunge below –50 °F across the Northern Plains, and Governors of Arkansas, Georgia, Texas, North Carolina and South Carolina declare emergencies, with Texas Gov. Greg Abbott stressing that resources are ready for residents [1].

Feb 6, 2026 – An Arctic surge hits the Mid‑Atlantic and Northeast, driving wind chills to –30 °F and gusts up to 55 mph; NWS meteorologist Frank Pereira warns of rapid frostbite, hypothermia and possible record lows along the I‑95 corridor, while light snow and blowing snow reduce visibility; the extreme cold is expected to moderate early next week [3].