Deep Freeze Tackles Most of the Nation

Jan. 15, 2009 — -- A bitter blast of arctic air ushered in by a quickly moving Alberta clipper has a large part of the nation seeing record-breaking frigid temperatures, including lows in the single digits and wind chills below zero degrees.

A low pressure system from Canada is responsible for the wicked winter weather that will have New Yorkers seeing some of the coldest temperatures since 2004.

The Empire State is one of nearly three dozen states with cold weather warnings out today, which includes parts of the Northeast, Midwest and the South.

The mercury won't rise above zero in places like Chicago and Minneapolis, Minn. Minneapolis felt like minus-41 degrees this morning with the wind chill, according to "Good Morning America" anchor Sam Champion.

Highs only will hit the single digits in areas like Buffalo, N.Y., and Indianapolis and snow is accompanying the blustery conditions and icy air in the Northeast. Light to moderate snow accumulated during the early morning commute in the New York City area as slick roads and frigid temperatures made for more treacherous travel on the way to work.

But it's not just the northern part of the nation feeling the freeze. By Friday morning, the Gulf Coast states will face a hard freeze that will put temperatures in the 20-degree range for several hours in places like Tulsa, Okla., while the Midwest and Northeast will tackle subzero lows.

Dangerous wind-chill warnings will extend across the mid-to-upper Mississippi Valley and across the Great Lakes as arctic air surges across the Midwest.

Lake-effect snow showers were forecast across the Great Lakes. Snow showers will be accompanied by 10- to 20-mile-per-hour winds and up to 30-mph wind gusts. Strong winds will trigger periods of blowing snow and limited visibility with low wind chills, according to the National Weather Service.

The country's big chill seems to contradict the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's 2008-2009 winter outlook, which predicted warmer than normal temperatures for much of the central part of the nation for December through February.