Thanksgiving Chill: East Coast Braces for Sudden Freeze

The East Coast is in for a rude awakening this Thanksgiving. After a week of pleasant weather, a Canadian air mass is pushing in, bringing a dramatic drop in temperatures. This sudden change is expected to make it feel more like January than late November. The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued warnings about the impending cold snap. They predict temperatures could plunge up to 15 degrees below average. This means freeze warnings are in effect for places like Georgia and Florida, which usually don't see such cold weather this early in the season. The cold front is also bringing heavy snow to areas downwind of the Great Lakes. Some places could see over a foot of snow, making travel difficult. The NWS advises people to be prepared for hazardous road conditions. The cold weather is expected to stick around into the weekend. The NWS Climate Prediction Center says the greatest chance for below-average temperatures will be in the Great Lakes region, with colder air possibly reaching as far south as Texas. Climate experts have been talking about a Sudden Stratospheric Warming (SSW) event that could bring even more arctic air into the U. S. later this month. However, the immediate cold snap is more likely due to a weather pattern forming over Alaska, which is driving the jet stream south. The NWS is urging people to take precautions. They recommend protecting outdoor pets and tender vegetation from the cold. Young children, the elderly, and the homeless are especially vulnerable to the cold, so extra care should be taken to ensure their safety.