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President-elect Donald Trump will hold his inauguration indoors on Monday, as National Weather Service (NWS) meteorologists warned of subzero wind chills that could cause frostbite in minutes.
Why It Matters
Trump will be sworn into office on Monday as the nation’s 47th president. It is expected to be the coldest Inauguration Day since former President Ronald Reagan’s second inauguration in 1985, which was the last time the event was held inside.
The inauguration address, prayers and other speeches will now be delivered in the Capitol Rotunda. The traditional parade will also be moved inside.
The forecast comes as nearly every state is expecting below-average temperatures beginning this weekend as an arctic blast descends into the U.S.
What to Know
On Friday at noon, the NWS office for the Washington, D.C., region issued an extreme cold watch that will go into effect on Sunday. It will last through Thursday next week.
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The advisory warned of “an extended period of temperatures up to 30 degrees below normal.” Coupled with wind chill, the temperature outside in some areas within the forecast region could feel like 25 degrees below zero.
On Monday, the low temperature in Washington, D.C., is expected to be 11 degrees, a 20-degree plunge from Friday’s low of 30 degrees. The high will be 23 degrees.
The average temperature in Washington, D.C., for this time of year is around 30 degrees for the low and mid-40s as the high.
Those hoping to attend the inauguration also will likely have snow to contend with. The NWS office for Washington, D.C., warned of accumulating snow that would begin to fall on Sunday. The Washington, D.C., area is expecting between 3 and 6 inches of snow.
The nation’s capital has an “enhanced risk” of a winter storm on Sunday, though there is no risk on Monday, according to the NWS forecast.
With the frigid temperatures, the snow won’t melt before the inauguration, potentially snarling traffic and creating another hazard for people to overcome.
Meteorologists urged people to dress in layers, including a hat, face mask and gloves if they have to go outside. People should also take measures to protect their pets and their pipes.
What People Are Saying
NWS meteorologist Jeremy Geiger told Newsweek: “Most of next week will be well below normal [for temperatures].” He added that a slight warm-up is expected on Thursday, but temperatures will still be below normal. “Extended periods of very cold weather is not as common as a day that drops to the mid- or upper-20s,” he said. “Most of next week will be very cold, and the wind chills will be even colder.”
Trump, in a post on Truth Social on Friday: “The weather forecast for Washington, D.C., with the windchill factor, could take temperatures into severe record lows. It is dangerous conditions for the tens of thousands of Law Enforcement, First Responders, Police K9s and even horses, and hundreds of thousands of supporters that will be outside for many hours on the 20th (In any event, if you decide to come, dress warmly!).”
The NWS office for Washington, D.C., in an extreme cold watch: “Periods of dangerously cold wind chills as low as 25 below zero could cause frostbite on exposed skin in as little as 30 minutes. Frostbite and hypothermia will occur if unprotected skin is exposed to these temperatures. An extended period of well below freezing temperatures could cause ruptured water pipes.”
What Happens Next
Temperatures in D.C. will remain below normal for the next two weeks, according to an eight- to 14-day temperature outlook published by the NWS Climate Prediction Center.
