Arctic chill to bring coldest U.S. temperatures since late-1800s in East; record cold in Midwest, South

Old Man Winter will be unrelenting across the Midwest and Northeast this week as yet another blast of arctic air rolls in and spreads deep into the South.

This next push of arctic air is expected to bring air that is just as cold, or even colder than the air that brought subzero lows to the Midwest and Northeast during the weekend.

Millions will shiver from Chicago to New York City as record lows are challenged during this bitter blast. Records may also fall across parts of the South where temperatures manage to fall into the teens and single digits.

Some southern cities forecast to dip into the teens or lower include Birmingham, Alabama; Charlotte, North Carolina; Columbia, South Carolina; Nashville and Atlanta.

Floridians will even experience a taste of the arctic chill with temperatures dipping down to the lower 30s in cities such as Orlando, Melbourne and Daytona Beach.

The worst of the cold is expected to focus over the East for Thursday into Friday.

In the mid-Atlantic, some daily record lows set during the late-1800s will be challenged.

AccuWeather.com RealFeel® temperatures below 0 F will be common across the regions during the daytime hours, including cities along the Interstate 95 corridor. These values can then drop by as much as 20 degrees during the overnight hours, making for a bitterly cold morning commute.

Snow showers are also likely to develop downwind of the Great Lakes late in the week even though the lakes are quickly becoming covered in ice.

Temperatures can be very dangerous, and possibly even life threatening during this arctic outbreak.

Anyone planning on venturing outside should wear extra layers, hats and gloves to help stay protected from the cold. Fortunately, winds should not be as strong as they were during the cold spell over the weekend, making it feel not quite as cold.

Water main breaks may occur across the Midwest and Northeast as the extreme cold penetrates deep into the ground. This could quickly lead to icy areas where the lines rupture.

Throughout the Midwest, Northeast and into the South, insufficiently protected plumbing could freeze. Some heat-pump furnaces could struggle to keep up with the severe cold.

Anyone who has animals that live in the outdoors should also take the proper precautions to keep their pets stay safe.

As a preventative measure for freezing pipes, people can leave the tap drip slowly. Keep cabinet doors open in cold rooms where plumbing passes through.

Pet owners should bring their animals indoors and make sure that they have proper bedding when temperatures dip below the 20-degree mark, as well as ensuring that they have water that is not frozen.

The core of the cold weather is expected to shift away from the Northeast and Midwest heading into the weekend, allowing temperatures to moderate. However, that rise in temperature will be accompanied by a far-reaching storm with wintry precipitation.

Despite the rise in temperatures, highs are still forecast to remain below normal through at least Sunday, and possibly longer.

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