Overview
- National Weather Service alerts span the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic for Feb. 7–8, with wind chills near 0°F to -10°F in major cities and even lower inland, posing rapid frostbite and hypothermia risks.
- NOAA expects the peak Saturday into Sunday with strong northwest winds and gusts that could top 50 mph, raising the threat of downed trees, power outages, hazardous travel and brief snow squalls.
- Snow will be generally light to moderate for many areas, with heavier lake-effect bands and localized bursts reducing visibility, while interior New England faces the most intense cold.
- New York City and surrounding areas face the sharpest chill late Saturday into early Sunday before a gradual moderation begins, with conditions easing early next week.
- The outbreak arrives as the country sees a stark split in conditions, with record warmth in parts of the West and a short-lived cold spell in Florida expected to give way to a quick warmup into the 70s and 80s.