A painfully cold weekend is in store for over 100 million people across the northeastern quarter of the United States, being caused by a powerful surge of Arctic air plunging directly southward from the eastern portions of Canada. The leading edge of this cold blast will deliver a quick round of snow to a few areas, and afterwards, a sharp freeze and strong, biting winds.
The incoming air mass will find little opportunity to warm up on its journey south. Much of the landscape is already locked in deep freeze, blanketed by heavy snow cover and featuring rivers and lakes that are frozen. Even if the weekend ultimately falls short of setting the winter’s absolute lowest temperature records, it will feel like the season’s most punishing stretch in many locations, according to AccuWeather.
The National Weather Service (NWS) is closely monitoring the setup and stand prepared to issue Extreme Cold Warnings — alerts that are rarely seen in the Northeast region — if conditions persist.
The combination of snow, gusty winds, and plummeting temperatures is expected to create widespread travel disruptions this weekend, including flight delays and cancellations at airports, as well as hazardous, slippery conditions on highways stretching from the Midwest into the Northeast.
For the majority of areas, the most intense portion of the weekend will occur during the first half, when the heaviest snow and strongest winds are forecast to arrive. (RELATED: California’s Bay Area Hammered By Over 30 Earthquakes, Strongest Recorded At 4.2)
Snow will begin shifting from the Great Lakes region into the Appalachian Mountains during the daytime hours Friday. Locations near the Great Lakes and along the Appalachians’ west-facing slopes are likely to see 1–3 inches of snowfall accumulation. Early snow may fall with temperatures close to or slightly above freezing, resulting in slushier conditions initially. As the Arctic air rushes in, the snow will transition to powdery flakes, and any slush surfaces will freeze rapidly, locking in dangerous travel conditions.
On the east end of the Appalachian Mountains in the Mid-Atlantic, snowfall amounts are expected to taper off noticeably. Some locations may see only a few brief snow showers with little or no measurable accumulation, followed by dry, windy, and extremely cold conditions.
In areas of New England, however, as a storm forms across the Arctic front as it closes in on the Atlantic Ocean, a localized band of enhanced snowfall could develop, generating an inch or more Saturday.
There is a possibility of a small area receiving 4–5 inches of snowfall Saturday across southern and central New England, according to AccuWeather.
Weather Timeline: What To Expect In Key Cities This Week
The Arctic front will usher in snow squalls from late Thursday night through midday Friday in Detroit. Following a high morning temperature around 35°F, numbers will drop sharply into the 20s and teens, resulting in the 1–3 inches of snowfall and slush to freeze up and create hazardous commuting conditions Friday. Lows will bottom out right above zero Saturday morning before recovering back into the mid-teens in the afternoon hours, then plunge back around zero later that night, per AccuWeather.
Further to the east, snowfall is expected to arrive in New York City in the afternoon Friday or during the evening, continuing at differing rates into Saturday morning’s early window. Friday night temperatures will be in the 20s, then drop into the teens Saturday despite sunshine making a comeback. Anyone planning a trip to Manhattan for a show Saturday should prepare for bitter cold. Lows will dip Saturday night into the single digits, and Sunday night, repeat the process.
Bitter Arctic cold targets the Northeast Friday night through Sunday as frigid air crosses the Great Lakes, producing strong winds and AccuWeather RealFeel® temperatures as low as 10 to 25 below zero. pic.twitter.com/avyLpGJkx2
— AccuWeather (@accuweather) February 4, 2026
The coldest reading in New York City thus far in the winter is 9°F, happening twice during January’s final week. It’s forecast that temperatures will fall below that mark on both Sunday and Monday morning.
There won’t be any snowfall in Boston through the late hours Friday night, however, Saturday is shaping up to be a full-on wintry day with multiple levels of intense snow and temperatures tumbling into the teens during the afternoon, then Saturday night, nearing zero. Following a brief climb back into the teens Sunday, readings will drop back into single digits later in the night. It’s projected that temperatures will drop Sunday morning under the season’s current low of 5°F.
Savage Winds And Life-Threatening Freezing Temperatures
As the Arctic front pushes through, air temperatures will drop sharply, accompanied by north-northwest winds gusting between 30 and 40 mph. These conditions will drive AccuWeather’s RealFeel Temperatures to life-threatening numbers, with actual readings falling into single digits or below zero in the Northeast.
Anyone venturing outdoors without adequate protection faces serious risks of frostbite and hypothermia. Snowboarders, snowmobilers and skiers should prepare for exceptionally harsh and potentially life-threatening conditions.
For most locations, Sunday will prove to be the less severe of the weekend days, as winds are expected to gradually diminish during the afternoon. However, the day will begin with bitterly cold temperatures. The only real relief will come from the February sunshine during midday and early afternoon.
Across the Northeast, clear skies Sunday evening will allow temperatures to drop even further. (RELATED: Eastern US Set To Deal With Two New Rounds Of Snow, Late-Week Storm After Being Buried By Fern, Gianna)
As of Wednesday afternoon, tens of thousands of residents across the Southeast remain without power following Winter Storm Fern around two weeks ago. Luckily, the Arctic outbreak is not expected to penetrate deep through the South and should stay above the Florida Peninsula, which recently endured significant damage from hard freezes.
As warmer air starts to collect Sunday across the northern Rocky Mountains and Great Plains, a new round of snow — along with scattered freezing rain or drizzle — is forecast to form along the Great Lakes before drifting southeastward into areas of the Ohio Valley and central Appalachian Mountains
The band of slippery and hazardous travel conditions could extend into portions of the Mid-Atlantic from Sunday night into Monday morning.