By: David Tiempo

New York City is bracing for a prolonged blast of bitter winter weather, with dangerously cold temperatures and below-zero wind chills expected to settle in and linger through the end of the month, as the New York Post reported.

The cold snap began Monday night, when temperatures dipped into the teens. By Tuesday, daytime highs are reached only about 25 degrees, marking the start of an extended stretch of frigid conditions across the city, according to AccuWeather meteorologist Alex DaSilva, the New York Post reported.

While New Yorkers may get a brief taste of winter early in the week, forecasters say the harshest conditions are still ahead. The most intense cold is expected to arrive by Friday, deepen through the weekend, and persist well into the following week, effectively locking the region into a sustained deep freeze.

“It may take until the start of February to break the pattern,” DaSilva said, according to the Post. He noted that while minor warm-ups are possible, overall temperatures for the remainder of the month are expected to remain well below normal.

Forecasts show that daytime highs next week could struggle to climb out of the teens and low 20s, while overnight lows may fall into the lower teens or even single digits. For comparison, the average high temperature in New York City this time of year is around 39 degrees, with an average low of 27, as the New York Post reported.

AccuWeather projections indicate overnight lows ranging between 11 and 13 degrees from Friday through at least Tuesday, with similarly cold conditions expected to continue beyond that period. High temperatures from Saturday through Tuesday are forecast to remain below 22 degrees, underscoring the severity of the cold stretch.

The icy conditions follow a snowy weekend in the Big Apple. Light snow brought roughly an inch of accumulation to parts of the city on Saturday, with flurries lingering into Sunday morning, the New York Post reported.

Meteorologists say the cold will also bring additional chances for snow before the month is over. While major snowstorms are not currently predicted, DaSilva said New Yorkers should expect multiple opportunities for light snowfall over the coming weeks.

“There will be multiple opportunities for snow over the next few weeks,” DaSilva said, as quoted by the Post. “Most will be light and will come from passing cold fronts or fast-moving clipper storms.”

Those systems could also bring gusty winds, which would significantly worsen conditions. As the New York Post reported, strong winds may drive AccuWeather RealFeel temperatures below zero at times, creating hazardous conditions for anyone spending extended periods outdoors.

The source of the extreme cold is tied to broader atmospheric patterns across North America. DaSilva explained that unusually warm conditions in Alaska are helping push polar air southward into Canada and the eastern United States.