What is an Arctic blast, and should you be scared?

Brace yourselves: (Even more) winter is coming. Punxsutawney Phil has ruled that there are only six weeks left in winter, but even though spring is just around the corner, an Arctic blast is headed toward the central and eastern U.S. So what exactly is an Arctic blast?

Basically, an Arctic blast is when temperatures are colder than average.

According to the National Weather Service, bands of wind called jet streams mark the boundaries between warm air and cold air. And in the case of February’s coming blast, The Weather Channel reports that the jet stream will be pushed north over the eastern Pacific Ocean and will then sweep south across the central and eastern U.S. As a result, these regions will be hit with bitter cold during the first full week of February. States like North Dakota and Minnesota — where the Super Bowl will take place on February 4th — will experience the lowest temperatures. Snowfall could also be another effect of the Arctic blast.

Unlike the rest of the country, the Southwest will see warmer and drier conditions than normal, so experts fear there might be a drought later this year.

Parts of the U.S. experienced another Arctic blast in late December and early January, thanks in part to a “bomb cyclone” that caused heavy winds and snowfall. But thankfully, this cold snap aren’t expected to be nearly as frigid.

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There is some bad news, though. The cold weather is expected to last for at least 10 days. And Detroit’s ABC affiliate, WXYZ, reports that this spring in the northern U.S. is looking chillier than in years past (although there’s time for that to change.)

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Surviving winter’s brutal weather can be draining, so during the upcoming Arctic blast, be sure to stay warm and take care of yourself. Until this cold snap is over, we’ll be looking forward to warmer weather and sunnier days.

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