-50 degree wind chills & heavy snow: Extreme cold grips U.S. on Martin Luther King Day

The U.S. is currently experiencing extreme cold, with brutally low temperatures and significant winter weather across much of the Lower 48 states.

Sub-zero air temperatures and even lower wind chills are expected to continue through Martin Luther King Day, with wind chills below minus 30 degrees in the Plains states and below minus 50 degrees in Montana and the Dakotas. TemperatureRadar shows cities like Chicago, Milwaukee, Cedar Rapids, Des Moines, Iowa, and Sioux Falls, S.D., experiencing temperatures near or below -15 degrees.

The extreme cold wave is extending its reach into the Southern Plains, encompassing areas of Texas. With the prolonged, intense cold spell, there's a high likelihood of record-breaking electricity demand, potentially straining the power grid and evoking memories of the disastrous grid failure in 2021. Texas state officials have stated that they've taken measures to enhance the grid's resilience following the 2021 crisis.

A brief moderation of the Arctic airmass is anticipated mid-week, with temperatures remaining below average east of the Continental Divide. However, another Arctic blast from Canada is forecasted to bring back dangerous cold to the Midwest and Deep South by the end of the week.

To the south, hazardous winter weather is occurring, with a mix of snow, sleet, and freezing rain spreading from the Lower Mississippi Valley and Tennessee Valley into the Appalachians. Snowfall is also expected in the Mid-Atlantic, including major cities like Washington D.C., Philadelphia, and New York, leading to slippery road conditions.

The bullseye for the heaviest forecast will be along a narrow band stretching from northern Mississippi through eastern Tennessee and the southern Appalachians, where up to 6 to 8 inches are forecast. Localized higher amounts are likely. The surrounding areas are more likely to see 2 to 6 inches, with the large I-95 metros looking more at 2 to 4 inches through Tuesday morning.

Freezing rain and other wintry-type precipitation impacts will be a bigger concern for areas further south, including eastern Texas, central and northern Louisiana, central Mississippi, and northern Alabama through trough overnight Monday.