A polar vortex is expected to move across much of the continental United States, bringing dangerously low temperatures and frigid conditions to millions from the Deep South to the Northeast starting Saturday and continuing into next week.

This arctic blast is predicted to cause dangerously cold temperatures and harsh wind chills across regions from the Midwest to the East Coast, as stated by the National Weather Service. After moving down from the Rockies and Great Plains, meteorologists anticipate the frigid air will reach the Deep South and Great Lakes by Saturday night and extend into the Mid-Atlantic and East Coast by Sunday.

Expect sub-zero temperatures for the northern Plains and upper Midwest, with the weather service forecasting figures below zero and in the single digits. The central Plains and Midwest will see temperatures ranging from the teens to the 20s.

There are serious risks of hypothermia and frostbite as sub-freezing air reaches the Gulf Coast, alongside wind chills dropping to between 30-55 degrees below zero across the Rockies, northern Plains, and Upper Midwest starting Sunday, the service cautioned.

Snowfall is anticipated across many areas, including the Appalachians, upper Ohio Valley, and the Northeast, possibly lasting until at least Sunday. The heaviest accumulations are likely to occur north and west of the I-95 corridor, extending to West Virginia and down to eastern Maine, with some locations expecting up to 8 inches of snow.

Before the storm exits the United States toward Canada’s Maritimes region on Monday, it will likely cause lake-effect snow around the upper Great Lakes. Additionally, rain and thunderstorms are expected in northern Florida and southern Georgia overnight Saturday.

The severe cold has also led to the decision to hold Donald Trump’s presidential inauguration indoors in Washington DC.

Western regions near the Rockies can expect average temperatures, including 30s and 40s in the inner West and Pacific Northwest, 50s and 60s across California, and 60s and 70s in the Desert Southwest.

Winter Storm Warnings Issued

Winter storm warnings are in effect for New York from Sunday afternoon into the night, as shared in a post by the National Weather Service New York on X.

Other states in the Northeast, including Massachusetts, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey, are under winter storm warnings for Saturday, according to the weather service.

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy announced that a state of emergency will be enacted starting Sunday morning at 8 a.m. local time due to the extreme cold.

“We are anticipating a winter storm that will bring significant snow, followed by dangerously low temperatures from Monday through Wednesday,” Murphy indicated on X.

Here are more regions anticipated to experience the effects of the winter weather:

DC

Massachusetts

Chicago, Illinois

Indianapolis

Atlanta, Georgia

Anthony Robledo is a trending news reporter. Follow him on X @anthonyarobledo.