Polar Plunge sends temperatures plummeting to 30 degrees BELOW AVERAGE as Arctic winds sweep across the entire country 

  • Freezing conditions are forecast across the entire country in the next few days 
  • Northeast and Midwest are tipped to remain bitterly cold the rest of the week 
  • Forecasters say more snow is expected across the Plains and the Upper Midwest 
  • Winter Storm Decima is hitting Pacific Northwest, bringing 'cross-country snow' 

By Dailymail.com Reporter

Published: 01:11 EST, 14 December 2016 | Updated: 23:33 EST, 14 December 2016

Freezing conditions are set to have people across the country shivering as a blast of Arctic air sweeps through. 

Much of the northern Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern states will see temperatures fall below freezing and stay there for a few days as the bitterly cold air remains stuck over the northern Appalachians, the National Weather Service said.

Forecasts also predict the northern Plains and Upper Midwest will remain stuck in the deep freeze, with highs on Wednesday as much as 30 degrees below average for this time of year. 

Scroll down for video 

Freezing conditions are forecast across the country during the Polar Plunge in the next few days. Pictured left is a man out in the elements in St Paul, Minnesota, and right, a young woman wraps up in Wisconsin 

SEVEN-DAY WEATHER FORECAST ACROSS THE NORTHEAST AND MIDWEST

New York City Philadelphia Chicago Detroit Boston Buffalo Cleveland 
Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

Monday

Tuesday		 27 - 43

17 - 27

24 - 26

43 - 45

25 - 55

26 - 32

27 - 36		26 - 41

17 - 25

23 - 28

46 - 47

23 - 55

21 - 32

21 - 32 		0 - 20

3 - 8

21 - 22

-5 - 29

-14 - -1

-2 - 7

17 - 23 		4 - 20

5 - 15

18 - 19

16 - 34

-2 - 17

-2 - 9

10 - 19 		24 - 40

6 - 25

15 - 18

41 - 43

21 - 52

18 - 28

20 - 33 		12 - 28

8 - 16

19 - 24

29 - 43

13 - 29

16 - 21

21 - 30 		15 - 25

11 - 16

21 - 22

27 - 44

13 - 27

11 - 19

19 - 29 

The system also is expected to bring widespread snow from the Great Lakes to the Northeast on Thursday. Much of the central US will be dry but cool.

The eastern cold is combining with Winter Storm Decima on the west coast to create wintry conditions across the entire country.

Decima is expected to deliver, 'cross-country mess of snow, strong winds and some ice', the Weather Channel reports.  

The storm has already spread snow across the Pacific Northwest, while winter warnings have been put in place from southern Washington state into Oregon, northern California's Siskiyous Mountains, and the High Plains. 

Colder-than-usual temperatures will also be seen stretching as far south as Oklahoma, Arkansas and Virginia. 

Up to half a foot of snow also could fall from the Upper Mississippi Valley to the Northeast on Friday and Saturday, and areas east of the Appalachian Mountains could see freezing rain and sleet on Saturday. 

Another arctic air mass on the heels of this cold front is expected to bring temperatures to the northern Plains over the weekend and into early next week that will be as much as 24 degrees below normal, according to Climate Prediction Center forecaster Stephen Baxter.

This map from the Weather Channel shows the current snowcover across the US on Wednesday morning

A freezing cold jet stream is sweeping down from the Northwest of the country and then up through the Northeast, this map shows

A man is seen out for a run despite the ground being covered with snow on Tuesday in Eagle Creek Park, Indianapolis

Snow is expected across much of the northern states in the country between Wednesday and Sunday, this map shows

The heaviest snow on Wednesday is expected in the Pacific Northwest, but states as far as as Maine will still cop some wintry weather

Saturday and Sunday in the Northeast and Midwest are set to see freezing conditions and snow 

Indianapolis man Sam Petty takes his dog for a walk in the snow on a trail at Hawthorn Park on Tuesday

This forecast map from the Weather Channel shows a winter storm system moving across the country

Snow is predicted to fall in a number of states across the north and Midwest on Friday, this map shows

The Weather Channel's snowfall forecast map shows where wintry conditions are expected in the next three days

This graphic taken from NASA's Aqua Satellite shows how cold conditions will spread across much of the US over the next few days 

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