Arctic blast threatens dangerous wind chills, below-zero temps in KC

An arctic blast will hit the Kansas City region this week, bringing along dangerously cold wind chills.

Temperatures were in the single digits across much of the Kansas City region Monday.

Highs on Monday were expected to reach the lower to middle 20s before dipping into the mid-teens overnight, according to the National Weather Service in Pleasant Hill, Mo.

Highs on Tuesday were expected to return to the lower to middle 20s.

But the arctic air is expect to move in Tuesday night, dropping overnight temperatures to near or below zero. Highs Wednesday are likely to remain in the single digits before returning to near or below zero.

Dangerously cold wind chills on Tuesday night and Wednesday could reach 10 to 25 degrees below zero, according to the National Weather Service.

The cold is part of arctic air that is blanketing the eastern two-thirds of the nation this week. North Dakota and Minnesota were expecting wind chills between 25 and 50 degrees below zero Monday morning.

Highs in New York City were not expected to climb above 20 degrees on Thursday, while lows were expected to be near 10 degrees.

Meanwhile, Atlanta was expected to see temperatures dip to about 15 degrees on Monday and Tuesday.

But there is good news. More seasonable temperatures are expected to return Thursday, with highs reaching into the middle and upper 30s. Friday’s temperatures will be a bit chillier, but not nearly as cold as Wednesday’s, according to the National Weather Service.

Temperatures are then expected to gradually warm and might pass the freezing mark by early next week.

The Associate Press contributed to this report.

This story was originally published January 5, 2015 at 11:00 AM with the headline "Arctic blast threatens dangerous wind chills, below-zero temps in KC."