The heart of an Arctic airmass will arrive across the northern Plains on Wednesday before blasting southward to the Rio Grande late Thursday. Low temperatures on Thursday could fall to near -40°F across portions of the northern High Plains. On Friday morning, sub-zero temperatures should occur along and north of a line from the northern panhandle of Texas to the lower Ohio Valley. From December 23-25, much of Deep South Texas will experience a 3-day freeze, with potential impacts on citrus and sugarcane. Louisiana’s sugarcane may also suffer adverse impacts, with temperatures possibly falling below 20°F in northern production areas. Freezes could also reach the northern tier of Florida’s citrus belt, starting December 24. Farther north, primary concerns will be livestock health and—for areas without a protective snow cover—harm to the poorly established winter wheat crop. As the cold air arrives, a blizzard will unfold across the central Plains, starting on Wednesday. Some of the harshest conditions—heavy snow, high winds, and falling temperatures—will engulf the Midwest from December 21-23, with lingering impacts in the Great Lakes region into Christmas Day.
