Although winter is still many weeks away, central and eastern U.S. is being hit with winter temperatures and some snowflakes.
Temperatures have dropped to over 20 degrees below average in the Midwest, which has progressed to the East Coast and the South through Thursday, according to Weather.com.
Temperatures are in the 20s around Lake Superior, and cities in the Midwest and Northeast are in the 30s and 40s. Highs in Dallas-Fort Worth and Nashville are 20 to 30 degrees colder than Monday. Mild weather persists along the Gulf Coast, but the cold front will arrive toward sunset, bringing colder temperatures.
There was even some snow in the morning hours, and a few flakes as far south as Nashville and Kentucky. There was a light snow/rain mix in the east, from Baltimore to Boston. There was little impact on travel.
The areas with the potential for the most snow are Lake Michigan near Michigan City, Ind., and Benton Harbor, Mich. Lake Superior, northern Lake Michigan and Lake Erie could also see a few inches of accumulation.
The colder weather is caused by a jet stream from Canada that is accompanied by a large, chilly area of high pressure at the surface that can be traced to the Arctic. The pattern change is causing the below-average temperatures.
On Wednesday, temperatures will still be up to 20 degrees below average over the Midwest to the Deep South and East Coast. Highs may be in the 50s in parts of north Florida and the northern Gulf Coast. Central Texas and northern Louisiana may experience morning lows in the 20s, which will stretch across to the South to the Carolinas. Some daily record lows may hit the Northeast (low-mid 20s), and the Southeast (upper 20s and low 30s). Temperatures will rise in the High Plains.
On Thursday, chilly weather will linger in the South, East and Ohio Vally, although most areas will warm up by Wednesday afternoon. A morning freeze will likely stretch across the Southeast, and it will get colder (low to mid 20s) as far south as middle Georgia, central Alabama and central Mississippi. There could also be daily record lows in parts of the Carolinas and Alabama (20s to 30).
After Thursday, temperatures will begin to warm up.