US braces for deep freeze after heatwave as icy winds from Alaska threaten 100 million Americans with record-breaking lows
Winter temperatures are coming back with a vengeance for 100 million Americans as an icy, deep freeze takes over from the record-breaking heatwave.
Temperatures are set to plummet from Idaho to the Northeast, with some areas even likely to see snowfall.
In Denver, Colorado, flurries had already begun on Friday as the mercury plunged down from 77F the day before.
Forecasters expect similar conditions to spread down through the US due to an Arctic blast pushing down across Alaska which will send temperatures tumbling into the 20s in parts.
It is a far cry from the highs seen in areas such as New York City and Philadelphia, which experienced all-time April highs this week at 90F and 93F, respectively.
The Big Apple’s temperatures will drop up to a chilly 40 degrees in the coming week, The Washington Post reported.
The sudden dip is due to an area of high pressure forming over Greenland forcing the cold air down.
The frigid blast will continue to work its way across the US through Monday, with much of the East Coast feeling its effect by Sunday.
Cold weather will move across the US this weekend – a far cry from the record-breaking temperatures earlier this week
Some areas could see a deep freeze and snow as a blast of cold emanating from Alaska barrels in
Places like Madison, Wisconsin, and Binghamton, New York, will see below-freezing temperatures Monday morning, the outlet said.
Iowa, Nebraska and Missouri are under winter weather advisories from the National Weather Service until Tuesday afternoon, with forecasters predicting several inches of snow.
Alaska could also see 40mph winds whipping up flurries which are predicted to reach up to eight inches deep.
Cold temperatures are only expected to last a few days before rebounding, AccuWeather said.
‘However, due to atmospheric patterns in the northern Pacific, additional cool periods are possible later in April and into May,’ AccuWeather Lead Long-Range Meteorologist Paul Pastelok said.
The drastic shift in temperatures could affect fruit production later in the year and also kill off any blossoming flowers.
‘Multiple days of unusually warm conditions, in some cases combined with downpours, will tend to accelerate budding and blossoming earlier than usual,’ Pastelok said.
‘Temperatures during April so far are running two to eight degrees above the historical average in the East, and that alone has been putting pressure on early blossoming and leaf-out, despite cold conditions earlier in the year.’
Denver saw snow on Friday, despite having unseasonably warm temperatures earlier in the week
A motorist drives through snow flurries in Denver, Colorado, on Friday just a day after the city saw highs of 77F
On Wednesday, girls were seen lounging in Central Park in shorts and sundresses in New York. The Big Apple could see a 40-degree drop in temperatures next week after peaking at 90F
Temperatures will remain higher in the South, especially in Charlotte, North Carolina, and Atlanta, Georgia, which could see record highs, according to AccuWeather.
It comes as a series of tornados were reported across the Midwest amid powerful storms.
Damaging winds and hail rattled communities from Texas to the Great Lakes, where dozens of tornado warnings were in place.
A likely tornado tore through a small village in northwest Illinois Friday, ripping down power lines and trees, stripping roofs and forcing officials to shut down the community.
The storm caused ‘extensive damage’ throughout Lena, with trees and other debris blocking roadways and ‘compromised structures’ causing hazardous conditions, according to the Stephenson County Sheriff´s Office.
‘We are extremely fortunate that this storm did not result in loss of life or serious injury,’ Sheriff Steve Stovall said in a statement.
The National Weather Service said the damage was likely caused by a tornado and it would survey the area over the weekend.
Tourists were seen enjoying the nice weather in Washington DC on Friday. The Northeast will see cold temperatures by Sunday and Monday
It comes as a series of tornados were reported across the Midwest amid powerful storms. Pictured: A tornado striking the village of Lena
Workers clear fallen trees and debris from the center of town after a tornado passed through on April 17, 2026 in Lena, Illinois
Leo Zach, 14, had just gotten to the village’s high school’s band room for a music competition when the building started shaking and the power went out. He said the room was packed with students and some were very scared and had panic attacks.
‘I’m definitely on the luckier side of how that could’ve happened,’ he said. ‘I was just trying to stay calm, help other people.’
When they got outside, they found some of the windows blown out in the gym and part of the school’s roof ripped off.
Photos and video posted online showed a garage totaled, bricks torn off of buildings and fences demolished.
Lena is a village of nearly 3,000 people, located about 117 miles northwest of Chicago.
