I am a member of the Weather Madness ,Henry Margosuity website ..the guy is a winter weather nut. There are a number of things lining up in the atmosphere such as the NAO going negative, the AO going positive and la Nina diminishing . There is a 1024 Arctic high pushing deep Arctic air as far south as the Rio Grande next week. Where I live in the Smokies it's dropping well into the single digits by Christmas Day . The GFS says a coastal storm around 26-27 time frame moving up the east coast . Add it all up and voila cold cold winter weather . The Euro has the storm along the Appalachians ,but both models depict it.
Any of the you native Floridians who dont really do cold and are going to the game . It's all about layering not necessary bundle up with a single big jacket . You want polypropylene based base layer and then some pants that shed some wind and on top base layer mid layer, insulating layer and a shell. Having a polypropylene base layer is important to trap heat close to the skin and be able to quickly move moisture to the middle layer which can be another polypropylene shirt or merino wool. Wear head protection like by Smart Wool ,protect The neck and wrist and you should be good to go. Get sock liners then wool socks.
Until recently I have done a bit of winter day hiking and over night backpacking trips in the Smokies . The key is layering ,the thinner the better in some regards and never put cotton on especially as a base layer or middle layer . If cotton gets wet it literally sucks heat out of you. I have a saying cotton kills . Buy some hand and feet warners at Wally world.
I will be there freezing my butt off too. If the forecast holds I am packing my North Face rain pants to put over my pack pants . 😆
Do not wear blue jeans if the forecast holds. Go buy some Columbia or REI pack pants . These are my tips and you may have your own..
