Extreme Weather Hits US from All Sides

Blizzards, polar vortex, heat dome, and atmospheric river converge across the country

Mar. 13, 2026 at 8:09am

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Nearly every part of the United States is being hit by extreme weather, from downpours in Hawaii to record-breaking heat in the Southwest, and from heavy snowfall in the northern Great Lakes states to an Arctic blast in the Midwest and East. This forecast of extremes comes as weather whiplash has already hit much of the East, with Washington, D.C. residents experiencing a 60-degree temperature swing in just one day.

Why it matters

The extreme weather events are being driven by a jet stream that has gone 'wild', with near-vertical drops and steep ascents that are pushing weather systems to extremes. Numerous studies have connected this unusual jet stream and polar vortex activity to shrinking Arctic sea ice and human-caused climate change, raising concerns about the increasing frequency and intensity of such extreme weather.

The details

A heat dome will form early next week and bake the Southwest, with forecasts of temperatures up to 107°F (42°C) in Phoenix - temperatures that haven't been seen this early in the year. At the same time, the polar vortex is forecast to send Arctic chill deep into the Midwest and East, with lows around 0°F (-18°C) in Minneapolis and 20s°F (-7 to -3°C) as far south as Atlanta. Two storm systems will also dump 3 to 4 feet of snow in parts of the northern Great Lakes states, with the second storm system intensifying so quickly that it will qualify as a 'bomb cyclone'. Hawaii is also getting hit with an atmospheric river that will bring major flooding, while Alaska will be about 30°F (-17°C) colder than usual.

  • The heat dome will form and bake the Southwest starting early next week.
  • The polar vortex is forecast to send Arctic chill into the Midwest and East on Tuesday.
  • Two storm systems will dump heavy snow in the northern Great Lakes states, with the first on Friday and the second on Sunday into Monday.
  • Hawaii is currently under a flash flood warning due to the persistent heavy rain from the atmospheric river.
  • Alaska is currently experiencing temperatures about 30°F (-17°C) colder than usual.

The players

Marc Chenard

A meteorologist at the Weather Prediction Center of the National Weather Service.

Ryan Maue

A former chief scientist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Shane Dixon

A 40-year-old resident of Culver City, California who had to cut short his usual 5-mile run due to the unusual heat.

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What they’re saying

“All of the country, even if you're not necessarily seeing extremes, are going to see generally changing from cold to warm, or warm to cold to warm.”

— Marc Chenard, Meteorologist, Weather Prediction Center (wbal.com)

“The back of my neck was melting.”

— Shane Dixon (wbal.com)

“I could go literally soak myself and walk out in the sun and I'll make it home fine. If it was freezing cold I could not do this.”

— Shane Dixon (wbal.com)

What’s next

The first day of spring is March 20th, and after that the extreme weather is expected to subside.

The takeaway

The extreme weather events hitting the US from multiple directions, driven by a 'wild' jet stream, highlight the growing impacts of climate change and the need for communities to prepare for more frequent and intense extreme weather in the future.