US Weather Whiplash: West Experiences Unseasonal Snow While East Braces for Heatwave

The Guardian World · 2026-06-29
US Weather Whiplash: West Experiences Unseasonal Snow While East Braces for Heatwave

The United States is currently facing a stark weather divide, with its western regions grappling with unseasonably low temperatures and unexpected snow, driven by a significant cold front from the northern Pacific. Temperatures across western states, from the Canadian border to California, have plummeted 5 to 10 degrees Celsius below seasonal averages, a pattern expected to continue. Simultaneously, major eastern cities like New York and Washington D.C. are preparing for a potential extreme heatwave, highlighting a dramatic and unusual nationwide weather contrast.