Extreme cold, subzero temperatures to blast Eastern U.S.

As the latest blast of arctic air settles southward, many areas in the East will have their coldest day of the winter so far on Thursday.

Throughout the day Thursday, temperatures are forecast to remain below the freezing mark (32 degrees Fahrenheit) from Hatteras, North Carolina, to Atlanta; Birmingham, Alabama; Memphis, Tennessee; and Little Rock, Arkansas. The cold will persist despite sunshine.

Frigid temperatures at night into Friday will raise the risk of unprotected pipes freezing and bursting.

While chilly air will reach the Florida Peninsula, temperatures will stop short of a damaging frost or freeze in the central and southern counties.

Farther north, the combination of dry arctic air, wind and temperatures will contribute to AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures remaining below zero much of the time across the Great Lakes to the Ohio Valley, New England and the interior mid-Atlantic. This will occur after RealFeel Temperatures bottom out to start the day at or below minus 30 F in the northern-tier states.

In the northern states, the cold will be severe enough to bring the risk of frostbite and hypothermia to those spending time outdoors without the proper clothing. Waiting at the bus stop can not only be a painful experience, but a dangerous one.

The cold has been hindering construction projects and causing school delays and closures in some locations.

RealFeel Temperatures plunged to minus 40 F at Minneapolis on Wednesday morning, compared to minus 15 F at snowy South Bend, Indiana, where the air was being modified by Lake Michigan.

Meanwhile, it felt colder in New York City Wednesday morning, compared to Anchorage, Alaska, with a RealFeel Temperature of 6 versus 18 F, respectively.

While another wave of arctic air will sweep from the Midwest to the East late this week following an Alberta Clipper with snow, the cold air behind that Canadian storm will not be quite as severe as that of the middle of this week.

Even so, another round of painful and locally dangerous cold will settle eastward across the Northern states Friday into Saturday.

The cold has forced some ski resorts to close due to concerns for low RealFeel Temperatures. However, many resorts will remain busy making snow through this week with hopes of luring masses of skiers to the slopes as temperatures moderate this weekend into next week.