Cold weather ahead for Tampa Bay, with "below freezing" temps possible along Gulf Coast

Threat level: The National Weather Service in Tampa Bay forecasts below-normal temperatures this weekend, with an even colder plunge expected next week.

• "Below-freezing temperatures are possible as far south as the Gulf Coast," per the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, with a possible impact on the state's citrus crops.

The big picture: About three weeks of cold east of the Rocky Mountains, potentially accompanied by major winter storms, will boost natural gas prices, pose a risk of power outages and disrupt travel.

• The cold will hit the U.S. (and us) in waves, with the first moving in this week, a second early next week on the heels of a significant Plains to Mid-Atlantic winter storm, and additional ones after that.
• Each push is likely to be colder than the one preceding it.

What's next: The time period that meteorologists are eyeing closely for potentially significant East Coast winter storms is between Jan. 6-14.

• The coldest air of the season so far and dangerous wind chills are expected across much of the Southeast from Jan. 7-13.

Keep reading for how a polar vortex works and why colder temperatures are spreading further south