Flash Freeze to Hit the US Northeast. Here’s What to Expect

A blast of Arctic air traveling across the U.S. is expected to hit the Northeast Sunday evening and Monday, freezing melted snow and causing extremely hazardous conditions in a number of states.

Meteorologists project that frigid winds will “flash freeze” any water melted from the weekend’s massive snow storm that hit both the Midwest and Northeast U.S. over the weekend, causing hundreds of flight cancellations and delays.

“Any water that remains on the road will freeze into a sheet of ice and make conditions quite hazardous,” National Weather Service (NWS) meteorologist Rich Otto said, Reuters reported Sunday.

Flash freezing occurs when above-freezing temperatures drop quickly and precipitously to below-freezing temperatures.

“Those kind of winds blowing on those power lines and trees that are already stressed from the weight of the ice, I think, is going to be problematic,” Otto also said, according to The New York Times.

Sleet and freezing rain is transitioning back to snow across portions of eastern New York, while portions of the Mid-Hudson Valley and NW Connecticut are experiencing light-to-moderate freezing rain! Please send us any snow and ice accumulations! #NYwx #MAwx #VTwx #CTwx pic.twitter.com/YE4PCbvGg7

— NWS Albany (@NWSAlbany) January 20, 2019

“Heavy snow up to 2 feet will be possible across interior Northeastern areas,” the National Weather Service posted in a Sunday alert. Southern New England is also expected to see mass accumulations of ice, bitter cold, and strong gusts of wind.

Otto attributed much of the winter storm to “cold air that has been dropping south from Canada,” according to Reuters. He added that the northeast can expect wind gusts between 20 and 30 miles and dangerous windchills of 10 to 30 below zero, Reuters reported.

NWS has issued warnings for Massachusetts, Connecticut and New York among other east coast states. Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire are also expected to experience flash freezing.

NWS Alert> Strong Thunderstorms From 21 Miles N of Provincetown to Dennis to 9 Miles SW of Chilmark Moving NE At 45 MPH. Wind Gusts to 50 MPH will Accompany These Storms. Locations Impacted Include Barnstable… #mawx https://t.co/hxFTUsNoJW

— Massachusetts Weather Alerts (@SimpleWeatherMA) January 20, 2019

NWS Alert> Advisory: Light Additional Ice Accumulation. Very Cold Wind Chills Expected. Wind Chills As Low As 15 Below Zero Expected. Where: N New London County. When: for The Winter Weather Advisory, until 3… #ctwx https://t.co/lPT6e9Axi1

— Connecticut Weather Alerts (@SimpleWeatherCT) January 20, 2019

NWS Alert> Advisory: Periods of Snow & Blowing Snow. Additional Snow Accumulations of 1 to 3″ for A Storm Total of 12 to 18 Inches. Dangerously Cold Wind Chills Also Expected. Wind Chills of 20 to 35 Below Zero… #nywx https://t.co/e1XIakvnlQ

— New York Weather Alerts (@SimpleWeatherNY) January 20, 2019

Nearly 1,500 flights have been canceled due to dangerous conditions from the winter mix, according to FlightAware.com, Reuters reported.

Travel is expected to be difficult Monday, given the federal holiday.