Arctic Air May Bring Freezing Temps to These Cities This Weekend

A blast of Arctic air is poised to spill into the eastern United States this weekend, sending temperatures plunging well below normal from the Mid-Atlantic to parts of Texas. Forecast models show dozens of cities dipping to or below the freezing mark, with some communities seeing their first hard frost of the season.

The National Weather Service has issued frost advisories stretching from Connecticut to southeast North Carolina. While the coldest air will settle north, communities as far south as Texas could experience temperatures below 32°F. A closer look at the data reveals the cities most likely to experience a freeze this weekend.

To identify the cities at risk of falling below freezing this weekend, Climate Crisis 247 reviewed minimum temperature forecasts from the National Weather Service for the period November 8 to 10, 2025. Cities south of New Hampshire were ranked based on their lowest expected temperature over the three-day period. Only places with at least 40,000 residents were included.

10. Sicklerville, NJ

Located in the Pine Barrens of southern New Jersey, Sicklerville is one of the most populous places expected to dip below freezing this weekend. Forecast models show the community’s overnight low falling to about 31°F, marking one of the earliest freezes in recent years for the area. With more than 45,000 residents, Sicklerville sits just off the Atlantic City Expressway, where cold air funneled in from the interior is expected to undercut lingering coastal warmth.

9. Vineland, NJ

New Jersey’s largest city by land area is also bracing for a freeze, with temperatures forecast to drop to around 32°F. Vineland’s agricultural belt – home to farms and produce distributors – may see its first crop-sensitive cold snap of the season. The city of 60,000 sits along State Route 55, where the incoming cold air mass is expected to settle quickly after sunset.

8. Altoona, PA

Tucked in the Ridge and Valley region of south-central Pennsylvania, Altoona is projected to bottom out near 31°F, a typical early-season freeze for the Appalachian interior. The former railroad hub of 43,000 residents is shielded by surrounding mountains, but the stagnant overnight air will allow temperatures to fall fast.

7. Barnstable Town, MA

Barnstable Town, the hub of Cape Cod, is forecast to fall to about 31°F, a notable drop for a community normally moderated by the Atlantic. The city’s 48,000 residents could wake up to frost this weekend.

6. Allentown, PA

Pennsylvania’s third-largest city is primed for a freeze, with lows expected near 31°F. Allentown’s 125,000 residents will likely see their first suburban frost on lawns, rooftops, and parked cars.

5. State College, PA

Home to Penn State University, State College is forecast to fall to around 31°F, setting up a frosty weekend in the Nittany Valley. The borough’s higher elevation and interior location mean freezes arrive earlier than much of the Mid-Atlantic.

4. Trenton, NJ

The New Jersey capital is projected to reach about 31°F, putting its 90,000 residents on track for the city’s first freeze of the season.

3. Bethlehem, PA

Part of the Lehigh Valley metro area, Bethlehem will likely see temperatures drop to around 31°F, bringing widespread frost to the historic steel city. With nearly 77,000 residents, it will be one of the larger population centers in Pennsylvania to hit below 32°F this weekend.

2. Amarillo, TX

The biggest surprise on the list comes from the southern Plains, where Amarillo is forecast to plunge to about 31°F – a sharp swing from recent highs in the 60s and 70s. The High Plains city of 200,000 is no stranger to early cold snaps, but the freeze will still be a jolt after a mild start to fall.

1. Utica, NY

Sitting in the Mohawk Valley of upstate New York, Utica is expected to register one of the coldest lows on the list at around 30°F. The city of 65,000 is surrounded by broadleaf forest and higher terrain, which helps trap cold air and accelerate early-season frosts.