VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Looking ahead to next week, a major arctic blast is expected to settle into Hampton Roads and Mid-Atlantic. The region will likely deal with the coldest weather so far this winter season.

Ranked dead last, or perhaps not mentioned at all, would probably be the only state that sits partly within the Arctic Circle: Alaska. But 2025 is off to an interesting start as far as the weather is concerned.

Temperatures are projected to remain frigid in Hampton Roads, with highs only reaching the 20s on both Tuesday and Wednesday.

A blast of Arctic air is set to cover much of the United States with temperatures below freezing starting on Friday and into next week, impacting millions of Americans in nearly all of the contiguous states.

Boogie boards, sheet pans, cardboard boxes and pool floaties — for the children of Ghent, just about any flat surface became a sled on Wednesday morning.

A polar vortex is slated to sweep most of the continental US bringing winter storm warnings and a hazardous freeze to millions.

A polar vortex is slated to sweep most of the continental ... The heaviest snow is expected north and west of the I-95 corridor to West Virginia and down East Maine with up to 8 inches expected.

Research has found that rising temperatures in the Arctic are weakening weather systems that normally trap the cold around the poles, making winter weather more chaotic.

CLARKSBURG, W.Va. (WBOY) — January 2025 was one of the snowiest months in years for West Virginia—here’s a look at the numbers. According to climate data from the National Weather Service (NWS), most of West Virginia has not seen near this much snow since the Jan. 21-23 snowstorm in 2016.

As the Arctic rapidly warms, the temperature difference between the polar region and lower latitudes decreases, which weakens the jet stream.

With last week's freeze being the second time temperatures dipped below freezing this winter, many are wondering if this active winter pattern is setting the stage for an even colder February.

Understanding the Polar Vortex The polar vortex is like a massive whirlpool of frigid air moving around our planet's poles. Think of it as a barrier that, when strong, keeps icy polar air trapped up north.