Arctic blast brings record-breaking cold to Washington, D.C. and eastern U.S.

Officials in the nation’s capital are warning residents that the brutal winter weather gripping the region is far from over, with dangerously cold temperatures expected to linger for days.

(CNN)- Officials in the nation’s capital are warning residents that the brutal winter weather gripping the region is far from over, with dangerously cold temperatures expected to linger for days.

Clint Osborn, director of the District of Columbia Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency, said overnight lows could plunge into the negatives, with temperatures falling as low as minus three or four degrees. Osborn added the current forecast shows the cold snap lasting nearly 10 days, making it one of the top five longest cold streaks on record for the area.

The warnings come as Washington, D.C. continues to deal with the lingering effects of an Arctic blast that has already brought snow, ice, and hazardous conditions. Mayor Muriel Bowser said the extreme cold has hardened snow and ice across the city, turning roadways and sidewalks into what she described as “solid, almost concrete-like conditions.”

D.C. is not alone. Millions of people across the United States are already shivering through what meteorologists say is one of the longest extended cold-air outbreaks in decades for some regions — and forecasters warn the worst may not be over.

A new surge of bitter Arctic air is expected to sweep across the eastern half of the country from Friday through Monday, pushing temperatures even lower. Weather experts say up to 200 daily cold temperature records could be broken, stretching as far south as Florida.

In some areas, weekend temperatures could fall more than 30 degrees below normal, particularly across parts of the East and South. The South is still struggling to recover from the last round of icy weather, which left thousands without power.

“We are trying our best to get our three-phase majority lines back on,” said Frankie Moorman, general manager of the Pontotoc Electric Power Association. “But the weather conditions remain dangerous — trees and limbs are still falling.”

Officials are urging residents to limit travel, check on vulnerable neighbors, and take precautions to protect people, pets, and property as the dangerous cold persists.