Breakfast brief: snow departs, arctic blast arrives

Northeast weather begins to clean up after Sunday's quick-hitting winter storm, while most of the U.S. shivers from 2025's biggest coldest arctic outbreak. The Breakfast Brief is published daily, Monday through Friday, at 5:00 a.m. Eastern time.

The WeatherRadar shows snow departing New England this morning, leaving behind an icy and slushy mess. A bit of snow will also sweep into the Appalachians and Great Lakes during the day as temperatures drop into the teens and single digits.

The biggest story will be the arctic air diving south across the U.S. The TemperatureRadar shows many places in the South, including Atlanta and Dallas, not climbing above freezing. A burst of snow could make for slick roads across the southern Plains. Even the Gulf Coast and northern Florida will struggle to reach the low 40s.

To the north, Chicago and Detroit will be in the negative single-digit territory, while Minneapolis will be in the minus-10 to minus-20 range this afternoon. Inauguration Day will be one of the coldest in 40 years, with midday temperatures in the teens in Washington, D.C.

South Florida and the West Coast will be the few places not to feel the arctic air. Florida and the Southwest will be in the 60s, while California will be in the 50s and low 60s. The Northwest will be in the 40s.

Ever wonder why 35°F can feel like 20°F or even colder? Discover how Weather & Radar’s feels like temperature gives a truer sense of the chill by factoring in wind, humidity, and cloud cover.