US deals with blizzard, polar vortex, heat dome, atmospheric river all at once
Published on March 13, 2026.
The US is expected to be hit by a variety of weather conditions, including a blizzard, polar vortex, heat dome, and atmospheric river. The Southwest will soon see record-breaking 100-degree-plus heat, while two storms will dump snow over northern Great Lakes states and the dreaded polar vortex will invade the Midwest and East with an Arctic chill. A heat dome will form over the Southwest, bringing temperatures to triple digits that haven't been seen this early in the year. The weather service has warned that this level of heat will be more impactful than usual due to its unusual early temperatures. The forecast of extreme weather has already caused confusion in Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles with unusual 90-degree March weather. The former National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration chief scientist Ryan Maue expects extreme weather in all 50 states.
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