A massive polar vortex has returned to the US and is expected to send half the country into a deep freeze through the rest of the month.
Meteorologists said that extremely cold air from Canada is flooding south and sending temperatures up to 20 degrees below their normal January averages in some cities such as Chicago and New York.
The prolonged winter blast is predicted to last until at least January 25, but forecasters at AccuWeather noted the polar vortex’s effects could stick around for up to 14 days.
The waves of arctic air have already reached Florida, triggering a statewide freeze alert Friday morning, with temperature falling below 40 degrees Fahrenheit in many areas.
Weekend forecasts also predict this cold snap could bring snow to the South and Southeast, including large parts of southern Alabama and southwestern Georgia Saturday night.
AccuWeather Meteorologist Alex DaSilva warned: ‘Even a brief burst of wintry weather can create slick and hazardous travel conditions, especially on bridges and overpasses.’
Up to an inch of snow could accumulate in Alabama, Georgia, the Carolinas, and Virginia between Saturday and Sunday.
A large coastal storm is also in the forecast for this weekend from Maryland to Maine which is expected to bring a chance of snow to communities along the Atlantic between Sunday afternoon and Monday morning.
A polar vortex sending cold air from Canada is expected to push 30 states into a deep freeze throughout the rest of January
Temperatures in cities including New York and Chicago are expected to drop up to 20 degrees below seasonal averages for January (Stock Image)
Over 30 states are in the path of the polar vortex, which is like a spinning whirlpool of cold air high up in the atmosphere above the North Pole, normally held in place by strong winds that act as a barrier, keeping the extreme cold locked away from the US.
However, strong storms and high-pressure systems in the lower atmosphere have sent ripples of warmer air upward that knocked this vortex off balance, allowing the icy air from Canada and Greenland to dip farther south and blanket the US.
AccuWeather lead long-range meteorologist Paul Pastelok said: ‘People in the Central and Eastern states will experience typical winter weather and colder conditions than during the past week or two.’
The two-week polar plunge will blanket the US from the Dakotas to New England and from the US-Canadian border to the Gulf Coast.
Frigid temperatures are also expected to impact multiple NFL playoff games this weekend, including making the Divisional Round matchup between the Chicago Bears and Los Angeles Rams one of the coldest football games ever played.
The National Weather Service predicted that the gametime temperature Sunday evening will be around 7 degrees in Chicago, making it the third-coldest game in the history of Soldier Field.
In New England, the polar vortex is expected to bring snow showers to Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts Sunday afternoon, where the New England Patriots will host the Houston Texans.
Temperatures are predicted to hover in the mid 30s throughout the game.
A freeze warning throughout most of Florida was issued for Thursday night into Friday, where temperatures fell below 40 degrees
Temperatures in the Southeast have fallen so low that iguanas have started to fall from trees, paralyzed by the freezing cold
In Florida, the unusually low temperatures triggered ‘falling iguana’ alerts, which is a common ailment the reptiles suffer in cold weather.
While it doesn’t kill the creatures, temperatures under 40 degrees will temporarily paralyze the cold-blooded animals’ muscles, causing them to lose their grip and fall out of trees while they sleep.
The National Weather Service issued freeze warnings throughout the state Thursday night, spanning from northern Florida all the way to Port St Lucie and Fort Myers near Southern Florida.
Meanwhile, a cold weather advisory was issued Thursday night for the entire state, including in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach.
