Cold blast to bring record-breaking temperatures to large part of U.S. this week

A cold blast could bring record freezing temperatures to more than 60 million people across the country this week.

Freeze watches and warnings are in effect as far west as Colorado, into the Northeast and south to Florida, according to the National Weather Service.

Temperatures of 35 degrees and colder are expected to affect all but a handful of states throughout the week.

High temperatures in Midwestern, Northeastern and even Southeastern states are expected to be 10 to 25 degrees below average, with low temperatures near freezing possible as far south in cities like Atlanta and Jackson, Mississippi.

"This may be the first freeze of the season for many places across the Central Plains, Middle Mississippi Valley and Ohio/Tennessee Valleys which will impact sensitive crops/livestock," according to the National Weather Service.

This cold front could break more than 50 record lows by the end of the week, with temperatures as low as 24 degrees in Minneapolis, 27 in St. Louis and 57 in Raleigh, North Carolina.

The frosty air is expected to subside by the end of the week, with most areas rebounding by Friday and into the weekend, meteorologists said.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com