Bitter cold will sweep through the U.S. It'll be a frigid Valentine's Day.

Arctic air will plunge deep into the U.S.

Unusual cold, even for the heart of winter, will grip a great swath of the U.S. by the weekend. That's largely because the polar vortex — comprised of lofty winds that circle around the Arctic during winter — has weakened in 2021, ultimately allowing frigid northern air to spill south.

"It’s going to be an icy Valentine's Day," said Jeff Weber, a research meteorologist at the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, an organization that studies earth system sciences. (Weber is speaking figuratively: Many folks can expect unusually cold or freezing temperatures but not necessarily snow or icy conditions.) Read more...

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