NEW YORK – Amid a winter of relentless Arctic conditions, the most powerful polar punch of the season is expected this week across the Northeast, with dangerous wind chill temperatures approaching 25 degrees below zero in some places.
Powerful winds of the northwest will usher in air associated with the polar vortex to the densely populated metro areas of Boston, New York and Philadelphia.
National Weather Service (NWS) offices are keeping a close eye on the weather setup and could issue Extreme Cold Warnings — rarely seen in the Northeast.
Frostbite can set in on open skin within just a few minutes and prolonged exposure to these temperatures could be life-threatening, according to the NWS.
A cold front will move across New England, the Northeast and reach the Interstate 95 corridor by Saturday morning, accompanied by wind gusts up to 30 mph.
The front comes on the heels of a fast-moving clipper system that will bring a dusting of snow and could create brief periods of whiteout driving conditions for the region on Friday.
Dangerous wind chill temperatures will blast the Northeast this weekend. FOX Weather
Powerful winds of the northwest will usher in air associated with the polar vortex to the densely populated metro areas of Boston, New York and Philadelphia. FOX Weather
People walk in Central Park as snow falls in New York City on Jan. 25, 2026. AFP via Getty Images
The closer the clipper stays to the coast as it exits, the stronger the winds behind them will be, as cold air rushes in to fill that vacuum.
The freeze will intensify into Sunday morning as wind chills could easily plummet into the negative teens for millions in Philadelphia, New York City and Boston.
It will be even colder across parts of the interior, including New York’s Capital region. Albany could see wind chills lower than minus 23 degrees.
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Temperatures will barely budge throughout the day as New Englanders and other NFL fans head out to watch the big football game.
Life-threatening cold is expected to last through Monday before beginning to moderate somewhat by midweek.
The rounds of Arctic air this winter have kept many cooped up inside and frozen mountains of snow leftover from January’s deadly and historic cross-country winter storm.
Life-threatening cold is expected to last through Monday before beginning to moderate somewhat by midweek. FOX Weather
Workers clear snow in Copley Square during a snowstorm in Boston, Massachusetts, on Jan. 25, 2026. AFP via Getty Images
From arctic blast to bone-chilling temperatures — or even meat-locker cold, meteorologists and residents across the Northeast are running out of adjectives to describe winter’s death-grip over the region this season.
Fortunately, a measure of relief is finally on the way later this month due to a major change in the weather pattern.
A shift in the jet stream will shield the East from the worst of the polar vortex, which will retreat farther north than earlier projections.