PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – An Arctic air mass is responsible for the deep freeze over the Delaware and Lehigh valleys on Tuesday. The Arctic air will intensify the cold to provide the coldest day in three years.
The air mass hung over icy Greenland about a week ago. Now the Arctic air mass has moved over the Northeast region. Wind chills Tuesday morning were close to zero degrees in Philadelphia from the bone-chilling breeze. In areas north and west of the city, temperatures dropped and reached numbers below zero earlier Tuesday morning.
Let’s talk about the coming cold. An Arctic cold front will move through tomorrow night, bringing bitter, potentially dangerous cold air into the region. This will be the coldest air in a few years – be prepared! #NJwx #PAwx #DEwx #MDwx pic.twitter.com/X2oLq2GzrU
– NWS Mount Holly (@NWS_MountHolly) January 9, 2022
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Poconos can expect dangerous wind cold, which drops temperatures to -20 degrees. Under these conditions, frostbite or hypothermia may occur with prolonged exposure.
Tuesday’s weather forecast of 21 degrees would be the fifth-coldest January 11 ever and the coldest day in Philadelphia since February 1, 2019. Daytime hours across the region will be 15-20 degrees below the season average.
The city can on Wednesday morning reach a record low forecast at 13 degrees. Before then, the wind will subside. The record is 14 degrees, which was set in 1981.
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Temperatures are slowly crawling out of teens and 20s Wednesday afternoon.
Apart from the cold temperatures, the weather forecast remains relatively quiet. The altitude will be closer to the average on Wednesday and slightly above the average on Thursday afternoon.
The rest of the week remains quiet and snow or rain free.
A fast-moving cliff could bring the Philly region a round of snow showers late in the day on Saturday. That forecast is still under development.
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CBS3 Meteorologist Llarisa Abreu contributed to this report.
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