Winter Storm Outlook for Midwest, Northeast, Central U.S. as 30-Degree Temperature Drop Approaches

Even as spring continues, forecasters are warning of a late winter blast of cold air and snow on the way.

The National Weather Service is telling millions of Americans to brace for colder than normal temperatures, as well as snow, through the end of April.

The cold weather arrives right after parts of the Midwest and East felt record warm temperatures last week, so it's even more of a weather whiplash.

212 Million Americans Bracing for 30-Degree Temperature Drops, Record Lows, Weather Experts Say

"A strong cold front is progressing toward the East Coast," meteorologists at Fox News report. "As it moves through, it will bring a round of rain and, as temperatures drop, some snow will fall across higher terrain in the Adirondacks and far northern New England."

The National Weather Service has issued frost and freeze alerts through Tuesday morning, April 28, for parts of the Northeast and the Midwest, with temperatures are expected to plummet to freezing, according to the Fox News report. The cold weather is also expected to bring snowfall, but thankfully not too much. Look for a few flakes.

"By Monday, more than 212 million Americans will see temperatures 20 to 30 degrees below average," Fox News states. "This past week, many cities — including Washington, DC, Philadelphia and Atlantic City, New Jersey — recorded their earliest 90-degree day in over a decade."

So, these cities are going from record highs to record lows, since areas of the Northeast are expected to record record lows by Tuesday.

How Long Will the Cold Weather Last?

So, how long will the cold last? According to the Climate Prediction Center, the U.S. is in for cold weather for the next few weeks. It's not the answer you may have wanted, but that's what the experts report.

The Climate Prediction Center's eight to 14 day forecast for May 3 through May 9 calls for below normal temperatures for the Midwest, Central U.S. and Northeast. However, for those living out west, expect warmer than normal weather for the same time period.

Aside from the snow and cold, other areas of the U.S. have experienced a record-breaking number of tornados this season.

"Severe weather has been relentless across the central U.S. this past week, with more than 30 tornadoes and over 230 reports of hail in the past week," Tyler Roys, AccuWeather senior meteorologist, tells Men's Journal in a statement provided to us.

The tornado threat continues this week, as well. "There is a growing threat for a dangerous tornado outbreak Monday afternoon into the night," Roys says. "Conditions will be primed for strong and long-track tornadoes across parts of Missouri, Iowa and Illinois. Midwest cities including St. Louis, Springfield, Quincy and Davenport are in the highest risk zone."

As always, check your local forecast before traveling and, if needed, take precautions and reschedule your trip if inclement weather is on the way. Seeing the country is already at more than 30 tornados and spring isn't close to being over shows a trend for this season.