Major Cold Front Set to Hit the Midwest, Great Plains, and Southern States This Weekend After Unseasonably Warm Weather

UNITED STATES — A sweeping major cold front is expected to bring a dramatic end to the nation’s unusually warm December weather, impacting the Midwest, Great Plains, and Southern states this weekend. Forecasters warn that temperatures will drop quickly and significantly, replacing spring-like warmth with a return to full winter conditions.

This week has felt more like April than late December, with widespread warmth across central and southern regions. But by the end of the week, a powerful cold front will push through, causing a sharp temperature crash from the 60s and 70s into the 20s and 30s, with even colder values across northern states.

Warm Stretch Ends Quickly as Front Moves In

Meteorologists note that temperatures will peak late in the week, delivering one more round of mild conditions before the front arrives. After passage, the shift will be immediate.

Forecast models highlight a dramatic north-to-south temperature divide, with the coldest air sweeping through:

• The Upper Midwest (Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan)
• The Central Plains (Nebraska, Kansas, the Dakotas)
• The Ohio Valley and Midwest (Indiana, Ohio, Illinois)
• The South (Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama)

Some northern regions may drop into dangerous subzero wind chills, with simulated maps showing values between -15°F and -30°F across the northern Plains and Upper Midwest.

Winter Returns After an Unusually Warm December

The incoming front brings a fast and decisive end to the warm stretch. Once the cold air settles in, temperatures will feel more in line with typical late-December and early-January conditions.

Forecasters say this isn’t likely to be a one-time event. Another reinforcing push of cold air may arrive during the first week of January 2026, hinting at a longer-lasting winter pattern. Early outlooks even show the potential for multiple Arctic fronts to move through the United States over the next couple of weeks.

Sharp Temperature Contrast Across the Central U.S.

One forecast map highlights an extreme contrast: parts of Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas may be sitting in the 70s just hours before the cold front arrives, while areas just a few miles north tumble into the 30s.

Residents across affected states should prepare for:

• Rapid temperature drops
• Strong winds along the frontal boundary
• Possible frost or freeze risks in the South
• A return to true winter conditions beginning Sunday

Forecasters emphasize that after a warm December, winter is ready to return — and it will arrive fast and forcefully. If you’d like to stay informed about major weather changes, follow NapervilleLocal.com for more updates and community weather coverage.