Dangerously subzero temperatures, biting winds and blizzards loom across large swathes of the United States, with plans for millions of holiday travelers expected to be derailed.
Forecasters said that the cold weather began to hit the Pacific Northwest on the morning of the 20th, and it was expected to hit the northern Rocky Mountains, then freeze the Great Plains and cover the Midwest with snow. By the 23rd, an arctic front is expected to spread biting cold to southern Florida.
Authorities across the country, concerned about possible power outages, are warning people to take precautions to protect the elderly, the homeless and livestock, and to delay travel if possible, the Associated Press reported.
The northernmost parts of the United States could experience wind chills approaching -57C, enough to cause chilblains on the skin in just a few minutes.
Even the warmest states are bracing for the worst. Texas officials are hoping to avoid a repeat of last February’s storm, which left millions without power, some facing days without power. Near-zero temperatures are expected over the weekend as far south as central Florida.
The temperature will drop sharply. In Denver (Denver), the temperature will be around 10 degrees Celsius on the 21st, and on the 22nd, the temperature is expected to drop to minus 18 degrees Celsius in one breath.
Heavy snow is expected in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming, with severe winds expected across the central U.S., according to the National Weather Service.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if there were all kinds of delays due to strong winds and heavy snow,” said Bob Oravec, National Weather Service principal weather broadcaster in College Park, Maryland.