Coldest Inauguration Day in 40 years expected as polar vortex invades America

President-elect Donald Trump will be sworn in for his second term on Monday amid a bitter blast of frigid air that has forced officials to move the event indoors. FOX News Senior Congressional Correspondent Chad Pergram joined FOX Weather on Sunday morning with more on how the dangerous cold is impacting Monday’s events in Washington, D.C.

WASHINGTON – President-elect Donald Trump’s second inauguration will mark the coldest presidential ceremony in more than 40 years. Washington is forecast to have temperatures struggling to reach the mid-20s, along with gusty winds. 

Trump’s second non-consecutive inaugural ceremony, scheduled for Monday, has been moved indoors due to the cold, wind and snow that are headed to the Washington metro area.

Frigid arctic air caused by the polar vortex is plunging temperatures for millions of Americans, including those attending the inauguration for Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance.

Washington, D.C., forecast through Monday night.
(FOX Weather)

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According to the FOX Forecast Center, Monday’s high will be near 25 degrees and the low will be around 12 degrees. 

For the Monday afternoon ceremony, winds are forecast to be between 20 and 30 mph, dropping feels-like temperatures to around 11 degrees with the wind chill. 

Capitol Hill forecast on Monday.
(FOX Weather)

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Snow began falling on Sunday across Washington and could leave up to 3 inches on the ground for Inauguration Day. 

Snow forecast for Washington, northern Virginia and Maryland through Monday.
(FOX Weather)

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The last time temperatures were lower for a presidential swearing-in ceremony happened in 1985 for President Ronald Reagan, whose ceremony was also moved indoors. 

The U.S. Capitol and frozen U.S. Capitol Pool are seen on January 19, 2025 in Washington, DC. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance (R-OH) will be sworn in on January 20 in an indoor ceremony due to inclement weather. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

(Getty Images)

Trump’s second inauguration is only the third ceremony to be moved indoors due to weather since 1909. President William H. Taft’s inauguration was also moved to the Senate Chamber in 1909 due to a blizzard that dropped 10 inches of snow in Washington. 

The most recent snowiest transfer of power happened in 1961 at President John F. Kennedy’s ceremony when less than an inch of snow fell. A winter storm in 1961 dropped more than 7 inches between Jan. 18 and Jan. 20 ahead of JFK’s inauguration.