WEATHER ALERT: Worst Cold In 11 Years Coming

By Kara Seymour

Stock up the firewood and prepare to bundle up: Record-breaking cold is headed our way.

Forecasters predict a “harsh arctic outbreak” this Valentine’s Day weekend, bringing a chance of snow Saturday and a five-day stretch of brutal cold.

According to the National Weather Service, wind chill values may fall to 10 below zero on Thursday night, Friday night, Saturday, Sunday and Monday morning. Gusty northwest winds may be strong enough to cause widespread power outages, according to the NWS.

• See also: How to Prevent and Deal With Frozen Pipes

Temperatures on Sunday and Monday could plunge to the lowest the area has seen since 2004 and the coldest February weather in more than 19 years.

Sunday will be partly sunny, with a high around 14 degrees and a low of zero.

Regular temperatures could be around zero during the Monday morning commute, making for the coldest weather streak the region has seen since January 2004, according to Alex Sosnowski, an AccuWeather.com senior meteorologist.

The last time the Philadelphia region experienced single-digit temperatures in February was in 1996, AccuWeather reports.

Also:

• The National Weather Service advises residents to ensure preparations are made to have sufficient fuel to heat homes and businesses, and to protect pipes from freezing.
• There likely could also be power outages caused by the strong winds, according to the National Weather Service.
• A clipper system is expected to track through the northeast on Saturday, bringing a 40 percent chance of snow and strong winds, weather reports indicate. One to two inches of snow are expected to fall, AccuWeather is reporting.
• On Tuesday night and Wednesday, there could be more freezing rain along with more snow, the weather service said.