Over 30 states hit with major cold front this weekend — despite the warmest fall

A surge of cold Canadian air is bringing the season’s lowest temperatures to more than 30 states, reaching south to Florida. The sharp change follows an unusually warm autumn across much of the eastern and central United States, with frost and freeze conditions affecting more than 270 million people.

Temperatures in parts of the Southeast fell from highs in the 70s earlier in the week to weekend lows in the 30s and 40s; Central Florida recorded lows in the mid-to-upper 40s. Omaha and Kansas City saw their first hard freeze, with lows in the 20s, while Chicago and Detroit were forecast to reach below freezing. Forecasters said El Niño-related warmth had delayed typical first freezes by several weeks, but NOAA expects warmer weather to return by midweek.