How cold it could get in central Ohio early this week
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- The coldest air of the season so far is poised to arrive on Monday and linger through midweek.
A lobe of the polar vortex over Greenland, the coldest air in the Northern Hemisphere, periodically becomes extended once every two or three winters, allowing frigid air that originates over Siberia to cross over the North Pole and dive southward into the northern U.S.
A surge of arctic air will slide across the northern Plains and advance into the eastern half of the country, eventually reaching the Gulf and Atlantic coasts by Tuesday.
Wind chills will reach -50 in the Upper Midwest and -25 northern portions of the Ohio Valley states on Monday, when the wind will be strongest out of the northwest.
In central Ohio, temperatures will hover in the low 20s on Sunday, with occasional snow showers later in the day that will leave a coating and create some slick spots. A secondary cold front will move through the state, sending temperatures plummeting into the single digits Monday.
The wind chill will Monday morning will dip to a teeth-chattering -10 to -15 degrees in central Ohio, and as low as -25 in the northwestern part of the state, as winds gust to 20 mph.
Afternoon temperatures will struggle to surpass 10 degrees Monday and Tuesday, after starting out near zero at daybreak.
At these levels, hypothermia and frostbite can set in within 10 to 20 minutes, so caution is strongly advised, and any outdoor exposure should be very limited. Dress in layers if you have to be outdoors for even a brief period of time, covering your head and extremities. Keep extra blankets and coasts in your car when traveling.
With such extreme cold, area school districts will likely consider options to keep everyone safe Tuesday and Wednesday in light of the harsh cold.
The coldest morning in Ohio will come on Wednesday, as winds relax under arctic high-pressure, with temperatures ranging from -5 in the Columbus area to -10 or lower in the normally colder locations.
Temperatures will gradually moderate Thursday and Friday, rising into the 20s to around 30 degrees. No significant storms are expected to impact the region during the workweek.