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(CNN) -- At least four people have died as arctic air grips much of the nation, including areas in the South unaccustomed to prolonged cold spells.
"What's unusual about this is the length of the cold snap," CNN meteorologist Rob Marciano said.
"Typically across the South you'll get a two- to three-day cold snap, and then temperatures will moderate," he said. "But we're getting reinforcing shot after reinforcing shot, and that pattern doesn't look like it wants to break down until at least next week."
Authorities in Tennessee have attributed four deaths to the cold.
The cold has killed three men in the Memphis area -- one in a park, one near railroad tracks, and one in a home with no heat, authorities said.
In the Nashville area, an 81-year-old Alzheimer's patient apparently wandered outside during the night wearing nothing but a bathrobe, police said. John Anderson's body was found in his driveway Monday morning.
Conditions are going to get worse before they get better, Marciano said.
"The next shot of cold air, which is currently in the upper Midwest, is driving southeast. That will reach the Gulf Coast by Thursday, and that will be about 5 degrees colder than this last batch," he said.
The frigid air is reaching all the way to central Florida, jeopardizing berry and citrus crops.
Hard freeze warnings were in effect Tuesday morning for much of northern Florida and parts of other Gulf Coast states, according to the National Weather Service.
"For Florida, they're going to see the coldest stretch in 15 to 25 years," Marciano said. "They get freezes like this, but they don't get them for this length of time, and that's the danger that will probably wear the farmers out."
The state was monitoring the cold's impact on crops, especially oranges and sugar cane, according to John Cherry, spokesman for the state's Division of Emergency Management.
"When temperatures get below 28 degrees," Cherry said, "and stay there for a duration of time," crop damage can occur.
Florida Citrus Mutual, a trade group representing about 8,000 citrus growers in the state, said no damage was reported from Monday's weather. Some parts of the growing area near Orlando had temperatures around 26, but not long enough for damage, said group spokesman Andrew Meadows.
"It's going to get cold again [Tuesday morning]. Whether it will get down to 28 degrees [long enough to cause significant damage], I don't know, but there's some concern out there."
The state, which began warning residents last week to take precautions, will continue to advise residents and visitors about the weather, Cherry said.
"Statewide, we're focused on making sure people have heat, making sure people have shelter from the cold. And we're urging people to be careful with heating devices in their home," Cherry said.
Shoppers at clothing stores were were clearing racks of warm coats, CNN affiliate WKMG in Orlando, Florida, reported.
"There is nothing. We were at Target, Sears, JCPenney, all over. This is my last resort," shopper Ann Marie Reyes told WKMG.
Burlington Coat Factory said its Orlando area stores are completely out of men's gloves and have very few hats and gloves for kids.
Lows reached the teens Tuesday morning in parts of Alabama, according to the weather service. Record lows were expected in many areas across the South, CNN meteorologist Chad Myers said.
Temperatures could get even colder later in the week, Myers and CNN meteorologist Sean Morris said.
"More arctic air will move in this week," Morris said. "It will get progressively colder in the Southeast."
Share your photos, video of winter weather near you
The northern Plains could see wind chills of 20 to 30 below zero from Monday night through Wednesday, Myers said.
"Some locations could see temperatures 30 to 40 degrees below normal" on Thursday across parts of the Plains, upper Midwest and Ohio River Valley, Morris said. By Friday morning, afternoon highs will struggle to make it above zero, he said.
"The main event will come whenever the reinforcing cold air moves in," Morris said.
In Minneapolis, Minnesota, the temperature was minus 7 Monday morning, Morris said. In Chicago, Illinois, it was 11, with a wind chill of 3 below zero.
A weak storm system will move rapidly eastward across the Gulf Coast states Thursday and could bring a dusting of snow to Birmingham, Alabama, and Atlanta, Georgia, Morris said.
A winter storm warning for moderate to heavy snowfall was to be in effect into Tuesday afternoon in parts of northwestern Washington state, northern Idaho, Montana and northern Wyoming, the weather service said.
Moderate to heavy snowfall also is possible in much of North Dakota from Tuesday to Wednesday, the weather service said.
The cold meant more homeless people were seeking shelter, according to CNN affiliate WBIR in Knoxville, Tennessee.
Two hundred guests have shown up at Knox Area Rescue Ministries, which was built to house 100 people, according to WBIR. "When it gets this cold it means it's extra demands on what we do day in and day out," Rescue Ministries President Burt Rosen told WBIR.
Much of U.S. is cold and getting colder - CNN.com
"What's unusual about this is the length of the cold snap," CNN meteorologist Rob Marciano said.
"Typically across the South you'll get a two- to three-day cold snap, and then temperatures will moderate," he said. "But we're getting reinforcing shot after reinforcing shot, and that pattern doesn't look like it wants to break down until at least next week."
Authorities in Tennessee have attributed four deaths to the cold.
The cold has killed three men in the Memphis area -- one in a park, one near railroad tracks, and one in a home with no heat, authorities said.
In the Nashville area, an 81-year-old Alzheimer's patient apparently wandered outside during the night wearing nothing but a bathrobe, police said. John Anderson's body was found in his driveway Monday morning.
Conditions are going to get worse before they get better, Marciano said.
"The next shot of cold air, which is currently in the upper Midwest, is driving southeast. That will reach the Gulf Coast by Thursday, and that will be about 5 degrees colder than this last batch," he said.
The frigid air is reaching all the way to central Florida, jeopardizing berry and citrus crops.
Hard freeze warnings were in effect Tuesday morning for much of northern Florida and parts of other Gulf Coast states, according to the National Weather Service.
"For Florida, they're going to see the coldest stretch in 15 to 25 years," Marciano said. "They get freezes like this, but they don't get them for this length of time, and that's the danger that will probably wear the farmers out."
The state was monitoring the cold's impact on crops, especially oranges and sugar cane, according to John Cherry, spokesman for the state's Division of Emergency Management.
"When temperatures get below 28 degrees," Cherry said, "and stay there for a duration of time," crop damage can occur.
Florida Citrus Mutual, a trade group representing about 8,000 citrus growers in the state, said no damage was reported from Monday's weather. Some parts of the growing area near Orlando had temperatures around 26, but not long enough for damage, said group spokesman Andrew Meadows.
"It's going to get cold again [Tuesday morning]. Whether it will get down to 28 degrees [long enough to cause significant damage], I don't know, but there's some concern out there."
The state, which began warning residents last week to take precautions, will continue to advise residents and visitors about the weather, Cherry said.
"Statewide, we're focused on making sure people have heat, making sure people have shelter from the cold. And we're urging people to be careful with heating devices in their home," Cherry said.
Shoppers at clothing stores were were clearing racks of warm coats, CNN affiliate WKMG in Orlando, Florida, reported.
"There is nothing. We were at Target, Sears, JCPenney, all over. This is my last resort," shopper Ann Marie Reyes told WKMG.
Burlington Coat Factory said its Orlando area stores are completely out of men's gloves and have very few hats and gloves for kids.
Lows reached the teens Tuesday morning in parts of Alabama, according to the weather service. Record lows were expected in many areas across the South, CNN meteorologist Chad Myers said.
Temperatures could get even colder later in the week, Myers and CNN meteorologist Sean Morris said.
"More arctic air will move in this week," Morris said. "It will get progressively colder in the Southeast."
Share your photos, video of winter weather near you
The northern Plains could see wind chills of 20 to 30 below zero from Monday night through Wednesday, Myers said.
"Some locations could see temperatures 30 to 40 degrees below normal" on Thursday across parts of the Plains, upper Midwest and Ohio River Valley, Morris said. By Friday morning, afternoon highs will struggle to make it above zero, he said.
"The main event will come whenever the reinforcing cold air moves in," Morris said.
In Minneapolis, Minnesota, the temperature was minus 7 Monday morning, Morris said. In Chicago, Illinois, it was 11, with a wind chill of 3 below zero.
A weak storm system will move rapidly eastward across the Gulf Coast states Thursday and could bring a dusting of snow to Birmingham, Alabama, and Atlanta, Georgia, Morris said.
A winter storm warning for moderate to heavy snowfall was to be in effect into Tuesday afternoon in parts of northwestern Washington state, northern Idaho, Montana and northern Wyoming, the weather service said.
Moderate to heavy snowfall also is possible in much of North Dakota from Tuesday to Wednesday, the weather service said.
The cold meant more homeless people were seeking shelter, according to CNN affiliate WBIR in Knoxville, Tennessee.
Two hundred guests have shown up at Knox Area Rescue Ministries, which was built to house 100 people, according to WBIR. "When it gets this cold it means it's extra demands on what we do day in and day out," Rescue Ministries President Burt Rosen told WBIR.
Much of U.S. is cold and getting colder - CNN.com
i'm caving in and buying one today, actually. :Ohno:
