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This week a rather quiet airmass will slip in as the Arctic Air surges eastward, not only impacting the U.S. but also affecting the Canadian Maritime Provinces and most of Europe.
A slow-moving disturbance moving along the edge of a very slowly departing large area of high pressure will set the stage for areas of drizzle and fog to intensify in the morning and linger through the afternoon.
By the afternoon in the mid-Atlantic and Northeast the skies will clear in the sunshine will set in.
“So far this season, readings have struggled to hold in the 50s [degrees Fahrenheit] at the warmest part of the day, but on Sunday temperatures will slowly creep into the 60s F,” said AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski.
Saturday started the stretch of mild days before a storm will swing eastward on Monday that will usher in the very cold air.
Though temperatures will make slow increases, they will not begin to surge until late in the day on Monday.
“From northern Maine to Nova Scotia and Quebec, temperatures will drop into the upper 20s to lower 30s F with the wind chill well below zero for most.”
The air can even plunge to the single digits to 20s in eastern and central Europe by Monday afternoon. The gusty northwest winds in the wake of the storm will also contribute to the bitter cold in western and northern Europe.
“The overnight winds will whip everything that isn’t under an umbrella,” Sosnowski said.
The aftermath of a big storm will produce over 6 inches of snow in Washington, D.C., Baltimore and Philadelphia with significant icing and snow downwind of the region.
The leading edge of the arctic will allow overnight temperatures across the interior Northeast to drop to the lower 30s to the middle 20s for Sunday morning. Several inches of snow or even a coating will be possible.
“Now is a great time to wrap up your holiday decorations or bring them into the basement for the season. When it’s cold and wet, getting a few hours of cleaning is worth a lot compared to giving up your green thumb,” Sosnowski said.
Rain will continue over the weekend in the lower Mississippi Valley. Snow showers will taper off in the Midwest and northwest with colder air returning for Monday and the rest of the week.