Shift In Polar Vortex Could Raise January Snow Chance

The polar vortex is on the move again which could bring a return to colder temperatures and increase the chance of snow through middle January in the Hudson Valley.

Extreme cold weather is expected to return in January.
Photo Credit: *Skip Pearlman*

Donna Christopher

01/08/2016 9:00 p.m.

"The pattern of cold air coming and going will be a theme through January," said AccuWeather.com.

The temperatures will return to higher than average numbers in most of the Midwest and Northeast later this week and on the weekend.

But the warm air will be shortly lived, according to AccuWeather.com.

"A major and far-reaching blast of cold air will sweep in over much of the Central and Eastern states next week," said AccuWeather Chief Long Range Meteorologist Paul Pastelok.

But for a few days next week the polar vortex will move south towards the Hudson Bay in Canada.

Earlier this week the cold arctic air affected the Northeast, but next week's blast will affect the Rockies and Plains, then turn eastward, AccuWeather.com said.

While moderate as it travels the air is likely to result in the "lowest temperatures of the season so far from the northern Rockies and Plains to the Midwest, South and East by the middle of the month," according to AccuWeather.com.

Temperatures will dip below average even for the middle of January.

A day or more in New York City can see temperatures as high as the 20s.

When the cold air starts moving southward and eastward, a storm or two will have the ability to bring wintry precipitation from areas South to the Northeast in the beginning of next week, AccuWeather.com said.

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