CHICAGO: Millions of Americans braced for a dangerous polar vortex which began to settle over a large swathe of the United States, threatening to set new records as schools and businesses closed and authorities warned of frostbite. Temperatures in almost a dozen states stretching over 1,200 miles from the Dakotas to Ohio were forecast to be the coldest in a generation, if not on record.
The National Weather Service (NWS) forecast temperatures between -10 to -40 degrees Fahrenheit (-23 to -40 degrees Celsius) by Wednesday, with wind chill making it seem as cold as -65 degrees Fahrenheit in one area of Minnesota. The culprit was a lobe of arctic air broken away from the polar vortex that usually encircles the North Pole.
“A record cold air mass will continue into the central and northern US, spreading to the east coast on Tuesday,” the NWS said.
“Wind chills of -30 to -60 (degrees Fahrenheit) can be expected over portions of the northern Plains and Great Lakes region.” Michigan and Wisconsin declared statewide emergencies in advance of the frigid temperatures.
Americans were heeding warnings to stay home if possible on Wednesday, when temperatures were expected to be at their coldest. Scores of schools, businesses and government agencies announced closures in multiple states.
“People exposed to extreme cold are susceptible to frostbite
in a matter of minutes,” warned the NWS. — AFP
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