Parts of northern and central Mexico will experience frost, snow and temperatures below minus 5 C (23 F) from the same mass of arctic air that is covering much of the United States, the National Meteorological Service (SMN) said Wednesday.

The coldest readings are expected in the mountains of Baja California Norte, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo Leon and Durango states, which could also see snow and freezing rain.

Frost and low temperatures from minus 5 to 0 C (23-32 F) are forecast for the higher elevations of Sonora, Tamaulipas, San Luis Potosi, Zacatecas, Aguascalientes, Guanajuato, Mexico state, Hidalgo, Tlaxcala, Puebla, Veracruz and Oaxaca.

The SMN said that Mexico City residents can expect the thermometer to dip as low as 0 C, while southern Mexico is in for heavy rains.

Coastal areas alongside the Gulf of Mexico will be buffeted by tidal surges of up to 4 meters (13 ft.) and wind gusts as high as 90 km/h (56 mph), according to SMN forecasters.