Below-freezing temps will chill all 50 states

First the cold, then the snow. A widespread cold snap that will encompass nearly the entire U.S. this week will be followed by a potentially disruptive snowstorm in the South and East by the weekend.

“On Wednesday, temperatures will be near to below average from coast to coast,” the National Weather Service said, with some of the most unusual cold expected across the eastern U.S.

How cold? Early Wednesday and/or Thursday morning, temperatures are forecast to drop below freezing in portions of all 50 states, even in normally mild Florida and Hawaii. (In Florida, only the Panhandle should reach 32 degrees, while in Hawaii, the sub-freezing temps will be atop Mauna Kea volcano.)

Temperatures will be some 10 to 20 degrees below average for much of the week, the National Weather Service said. By week’s end, cities such as Minneapolis and Chicago will see highs only in the teens and 20s.

The cold air comes from the Canadian Arctic, the weather service said.

Then, the snow: A storm “is expected to bring a widespread wintry mess of snow, sleet and freezing rain through parts of the nation’s southern tier and possibly the East Coast late this week into next weekend,” the Weather Channel warned.

“A weather system will develop and gain strength from Texas into the Southeast U.S. heading into the weekend,” weather.us meteorologist Ryan Maue said. “This southern track means the cold air to the north will allow for frozen precipitation, including snow.”

It will be too warm to snow in much of Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas, but the region will face severe storms and potential flooding, AccuWeather said.