A blast of Arctic air is heading our way on Valentine's weekend, with temperatures dropping into the single digits and even below zero in some locations. Watch video
Old Man Winter is getting ready to send us a harsh reminder that it's February, delivering a blast of frigid air straight from the Arctic region this weekend.
Exactly how cold is it supposed to get? Here's a look at the low temperatures, along with the brutal wind chills, predicted by the National Weather Service for early Sunday morning -- expected to be the coldest period during the next few days.
On the map below, find the dot closest to your hometown and hover over it or click it to see the projected bone-chilling temperatures. Click the + sign to zoom in. (Then crank up your heat, grab some extra blankets and warm up some hot chocolate to prepare for the deep freeze.)
What's causing our temperatures to drop so much? "A lot of cold air is diving down from Canada," said Valerie Meola, a meteorologist at the weather service's regional office in Mount Holly.
One round of colder air began drifting into New Jersey on Wednesday night, setting the stage for a stretch of below-freezing temperatures expected to last through the end of the weekend.
A second wave of Arctic air will be flowing into the Northeast region during the day on Saturday, keeping afternoon highs stuck in the teens to low 20s. After the sun goes down, the mercury will plunge into the single digits and below zero in many parts of central and northern New Jersey.
Combined with strong winds blowing from the northwest, "it's going to be brutal," Meola said.
In Sussex County, places like High Point State Park, Newton and Sussex Borough can see temperatures as low as 6 or 7 degrees below zero before sunrise on Sunday -- and wind chills as cold as 20 below zero. Not too far away, in the Poconos in eastern Pennsylvania, low temperatures Saturday night will dip to minus 12, with the wind chill making it feel as frigid as 25 to 30 degrees below zero.
The projected temperatures will be the coldest so far this winter, even colder than the frigid air that swept through the region in early January.
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Safety tips
In a weather briefing on Wednesday, the National Weather Service reminded homeowners and drivers about the dangers posed by frigid temperatures:
- Frozen pipes could be a significant problem.
- Dead car batteries could strand people.
- Any fuel or power outages that occur could leave people without heat.
People may improperly use secondary sources of heat, increasing chances for carbon monoxide poisoning. - Structure fires could escalate.
- Frostbite or hypothermia could occur.
"If people have exterior pipes that are along exterior walls, they may want to open up their cabinets to let some warm air in," Meola said. That could help prevent the pipes from freezing.
Another tip offered by Meola: If you keep your faucets open slightly, with water slowly dripping, your pipes will be less likely to freeze.
Len Melisurgo may be reached at LMelisurgo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @LensReality. Find NJ.com on Facebook.