The characteristics of the Northern Hemisphere low‐frequency temperature variability (periods 10 to 120 d) are examined using 700‐hPa analyses for 5 winters. Of particular interest is the relationship between the evolution of the low‐frequency temperature field and that of the higher‐frequency synoptic‐scale flow. The latter produces a low‐frequency heat flux divergence that can interact with the low‐frequency temperature field. The nature of this interaction is investigated by examining the relative position, both in space and in time, of the low‐frequency temperature and the heat flux divergence. The maximum temporal variance of the low‐frequency temperature is found to occur over Canada and Siberia. Although not negligible in these regions, the low‐frequency component of the heat flux divergence by the synoptic‐scale flow reaches a maximum somewhat farther to the east, near the storm track regions. The low‐frequency temperature variations are positively correlated in time with the in situ synoptic‐scale heat flux divergence, implying that the synoptic‐scale eddies act to dissipate the low‐frequency temperature variability.