U.S. Polar blast to chill millions from Minnesota to Texas

A fresh blast of frigid air and bone-chilling winds will continue to expand across the Plains and Midwest through Monday, hitting cities from Minneapolis to Chicago and Oklahoma City.

The frigid blast has already dropped temperatures nearly 60 degrees in a 24-hour period across parts of Montana Friday into Saturday. Some locales went from the mid-50s on Friday to nearly 10 below zero F.

The arctic chill will dive south and east through Monday, hitting Minneapolis, Chicago and Oklahoma City with sharply colder air and drastically plummeting temperatures.

Highs near 40 F in Minneapolis Saturday afternoon will be replaced by teens and single digits Sunday and Monday.

Bone-chilling winds will accompany the cold blast on Sunday, forcing afternoon AccuWeather.com RealFeel® temperatures into the single digits below zero. Chicago's RealFeels will sit in the single digits above zero throughout the day on Monday.

"This latest cold blast will not be nearly as wide-reaching or long lasting as the one that hit the country in the middle of November," said AccuWeather.com Meteorologist Mark Paquette. "The Plains and Midwest will be hit the hardest, while the Southeast will avoid much of the chill."

Oklahoma City will be near record highs in the 70s Sunday before highs plummet into the 30s for Monday. Winds will place RealFeel temperatures in the single digits around daybreak Monday.

Residents or visitors set to endure cold wave should prepare to dress warmly and limit any time outdoors. Those traveling home from Thanksgiving travels should put plenty of blankets in the car.

This is especially so across the northern Plains, where RealFeel temperatures will drop dangerously to 20 below zero F Sunday.

An arctic cold front slicing southward will be responsible for the cold wave.

The cold wave will not be accompanied by snow or ice for the most part. However, it may set the stage for an ice threat by midweek.

"Although the chill will not be as harsh across the Ohio Valley and Northeast, the cold air may set the stage for an icy mid- to late-week storm," added Paquette.

AccuWeather.com Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski explains that a fast west-to-east flow across the nation next week will keep the coldest air out of the South but will lead to unsettled conditions in parts of the West, Midwest and Northeast.