Big chill will ring in the New Year across the Northeast

Bitterly cold weather will usher in for New Year’s Eve celebrations across the Northeast and Midwest United States, bringing record low temperatures and making traveling difficult.

The mercury in New York City’s Times Square is expected to drop to about 10 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 12 Celsius),’ according to the National Weather Service.

The wind chill is estimated at nearly 0 F (minus 18C) during the final hours of 2017, and will test the willpower of hundreds of thousands of New Year’s Eve revelers.

In the heartland, next week could bring low temperatures last recorded 130 years ago to parts of Nebraska, said David Eastlack, a meteorologist with the weather service.

Freezing weather will usher in for New Year’s Eve celebrations across the Northeast and Midwest United States this weekend

About 220 million Americans will see morning low temperatures in the single digits or below zero heading into New Year's weekend 

About 220 million Americans will see morning low temperatures in the single digits or below zero heading into New Year’s weekend 

The bitter temperatures have already been blamed for a handful of deaths and cancelled in long list of weekend celebrations

The bitter temperatures have already been blamed for a handful of deaths and cancelled in long list of weekend celebrations

Timothy Gigone, 51, of Erie, Pennsylvania skis south on Sassafras Street near the intersection of West 14th Street on Saturday

Timothy Gigone, 51, of Erie, Pennsylvania skis south on Sassafras Street near the intersection of West 14th Street on Saturday

Kevin Deiner of Erie digs out his Ford Escape buried on West Sixth Street on Saturday

Kevin Deiner of Erie digs out his Ford Escape buried on West Sixth Street on Saturday

A frozen fountain in Bryant Park in New York, New York Saturday afternoon

A frozen fountain in Bryant Park in New York, New York Saturday afternoon

People are also bundled up as they walk in Washington Square Park in New York, New York during the Artic blast

People are also bundled up as they walk in Washington Square Park in New York, New York during the Artic blast

That includes a record low for the date of minus 22F (minus 30C) for Tuesday.

‘The bitter cold is going to be dangerous,’ Eastlack said in a phone interview, warning residents of eastern Nebraska and western Iowa to avoid venturing outside or taking a car trip.

He said that the wind chills will be near minus 35F (minus 37C), a level when frostbite could set in within 10 minutes.

The weather service predicted lows would hit minus 20F to minus 30F (minus 7C to -34C) from Montana into the Dakotas and Minnesota, well below average.

Several individuals are seen snapping pictures next to a frozen fountain in Bryant Park in New York, New York

Several individuals are seen snapping pictures next to a frozen fountain in Bryant Park in New York, New York

A couple of weights are covered in snow in West 4 St basketball courts in New York, New York

A couple of weights are covered in snow in West 4 St basketball courts in New York, New York

Wind chill advisories or warnings were in effect for much of New England, northern Pennsylvania and New York (Pictured, people walk through a frigid Manhattan on Thursday)

Wind chill advisories or warnings were in effect for much of New England, northern Pennsylvania and New York (Pictured, people walk through a frigid Manhattan on Thursday)

Atop Mount Washington, the Northeast's highest peak, the temperature has hit negative 34 degrees, with a negative 89 degree wind chill as boiling water turns into 'snow' (pictured)

Atop Mount Washington, the Northeast’s highest peak, the temperature has hit negative 34 degrees, with a negative 89 degree wind chill as boiling water turns into ‘snow’ (pictured)

Adam Gill, of the Mount Washington Observatory (pictured, Friday), said the previous record of -31 degrees was set in 1933

Adam Gill, of the Mount Washington Observatory (pictured, Friday), said the previous record of -31 degrees was set in 1933

Temperatures could drop to around 0 F (minus 18C) as far south as the northern border of Oklahoma on New Year’s Day.

They will stoop into the minus 30s near the Canadian border on Sunday and Monday, the service said.

The arctic air from Canada will also bring subfreezing temperatures to U.S. Gulf Coast cities such as Biloxi, Mississippi.

Icy roads will make travel difficult over much of the United States, from the south-central states of Texas and Oklahoma and eastward over Arkansas.

The National Weather Service reported International Falls, Minnesota, the self-proclaimed Icebox of the Nation, plunged to 37 degrees below zero, breaking the old record of 32 below set in 1924 (Pictured, New Yorkers brave the cold on Thursday)

The National Weather Service reported International Falls, Minnesota, the self-proclaimed Icebox of the Nation, plunged to 37 degrees below zero, breaking the old record of 32 below set in 1924 (Pictured, New Yorkers brave the cold on Thursday)

Frank Necci clears snow from St Andrews Catholic Church on Friday in Erie, Pennsylvania after a massive snow storm

Frank Necci clears snow from St Andrews Catholic Church on Friday in Erie, Pennsylvania after a massive snow storm

Workers clear streets on Friday in downtown Erie. Sixty-five inches of snow fell on the city over the course of four days

Workers clear streets on Friday in downtown Erie. Sixty-five inches of snow fell on the city over the course of four days

A man walks with his groceries in a cart on Friday in Erie. The cold weather pattern 0s expected to continue through the holiday weekend and likely longer

A man walks with his groceries in a cart on Friday in Erie. The cold weather pattern 0s expected to continue through the holiday weekend and likely longer

Frankie Lafuente, 11, lays in the snow after a crash with his brother while sledding down a hill on Friday in Des Moines, Iowa

Frankie Lafuente, 11, lays in the snow after a crash with his brother while sledding down a hill on Friday in Des Moines, Iowa

Also, into northern Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama through the New Year’s weekend, the private AccuWeather forecasting service said.

Weather was expected to remain much more mild on the West Coast, with temperatures forecast in the low 70s in Los Angeles over the next few days. 

Officials sent out warnings about hypothermia and frostbite and urged revelers to wear extra layers and stay indoors if possible. 

Extra police and fire personnel will be surrounding Times Square to monitor weather conditions and the safety of those outdoors.  

Jason Goldstein (left) and Jon Ross, slide across the ice to check the raised flag on an ice fishing tip up in Ledyard, Connecticut on Friday

Jason Goldstein (left) and Jon Ross, slide across the ice to check the raised flag on an ice fishing tip up in Ledyard, Connecticut on Friday

The cold snap continues as a man walks on the pier along side a frozen section of the harbor at Fort Taber Park in the south end of New Bedford, Massachusetts on Friday

The cold snap continues as a man walks on the pier along side a frozen section of the harbor at Fort Taber Park in the south end of New Bedford, Massachusetts on Friday

A small child bundles up as cold temperatures hit New York City on Friday, preparing for a very cold holiday weekend

A small child bundles up as cold temperatures hit New York City on Friday, preparing for a very cold holiday weekend

Residents and tourists alike bare the freezing temperatures in puffy coats, hats, scarves, gloves and boots on Friday

Residents and tourists alike bare the freezing temperatures in puffy coats, hats, scarves, gloves and boots on Friday

Three friends huddle together in Manhattan on Friday. New York City saw a high of 23 degrees with a wind chill of 14 degrees

Three friends huddle together in Manhattan on Friday. New York City saw a high of 23 degrees with a wind chill of 14 degrees

Some events have been cancelled due to the frigid weather, such as the New Year’s Eve event at the village of Orchard Park near Buffalo.

‘With frigid weather, the chance of a water line break is higher, and I’d rather have my public works crew fixing it than hoisting a ball up to drop,’ Mayor Jo Ann Litwin Clinton said in a statement.

But president of the Times Square Alliance, Tim Tompkins, said this will certainly not be the case for the big ball drop.

‘Hundreds of thousands have withstood very cold weather over the years for a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and we expect this year to be no different,’ Tompkins said of the famous annual Times Square bash.



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