An Arctic cold front moving over Baltimore could become the coldest stretch of the winter and set low-temperature records for Thursday and Friday.
National Weather Service forecasters predicted temperatures in the teens throughout the day Thursday, with gusts up to 25 mph causing a wind chill below zero. A chance of snow showers is in the forecast after 2 p.m.
Temperatures are expected to dive from there Thursday night and Friday morning. A low of 1 degree, with a "dangerous wind chill" of -17, would shatter a century-old Feb. 19 cold record, according to the weather service.
Friday morning should be sunny but every bit as frigid, with temperatures in single digits until 10 a.m., and a wind chill not expected to crawl back up to zero until noon. If the forecast is correct, the icy temperatures should break the record for the day as well.
The weather service declared a Wind Chill Advisory through 10 a.m. Friday.
"Very cold air and strong winds will combine to generate low wind chills," the weather service said in the advisory. "This will result in frostbite and lead to hypothermia if precautions are not taken. If you must venture outdoors...make sure you wear a hat and gloves."
cmcampbell@baltsun.com
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