This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-64485092

The article has changed 14 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 9 Version 10
Deep freeze: US north-east braces for record breaking wind chills Coldest wind chill ever recorded in continental US, say forecasters
(38 minutes later)
Dangerously cold weather sweeps across North AmericaDangerously cold weather sweeps across North America
Dangerously cold weather sweeps across North AmericaDangerously cold weather sweeps across North America
Nearly 100 million people in Canada and the US are braced for some of the coldest air on earth, as a record deep freeze hits North America. Forecasters say the coldest wind chill ever has been recorded in the continental US as an Arctic cold snap freezes a swathe of North America.
The frigid blast could bring "once-in-a-generation" wind chills that cause frostbite in less than 10 minutes, the National Weather Service has warned. The National Weather Service (NWS) said the icy gusts on Mount Washington in New Hampshire on Friday produced a wind chill of -108F (-77C).
Residents from Manitoba to Maine are being urged to limit their time outdoors until Saturday. Nearly 100 million people across the north-eastern US and Canada are shivering in the frigid blast.
At least 11 people have died in the bad weather in the US south since Monday. Authorities warned frostbite could strike in less than 10 minutes.
There were eight fatalities in Texas, two in Oklahoma and one in Arkansas. Residents from Manitoba to Maine are being urged to limit their time outdoors until Saturday in the "once-in-a-generation" cold snap.
The expected drop in temperatures is attributed to a powerful Arctic front that stretches from the Canadian maritime provinces to the core of the US. The NWS said the actual temperature on the summit of Mount Washington at 20:00 on Friday (01:00 GMT Saturday) was down to -46F - the coldest ever recorded there.
About a dozen records were expected to be broken by Friday in several US states, where a total of 82 million people were forecast temperatures of -17 Celsius (0 F) or lower. What is wind chill factor?
In Maine, for example, parts of the state were expecting the lowest temperatures recorded since 1971. In the city of Portland, wind chill was expected to reach -41 F (-40.5 C).
In nearby Burlington, Vermont, Friday's highest temperature was expected to reach just -20 C (-5 F).
A guide to surviving extreme coldA guide to surviving extreme cold
Boston is currently under a cold emergency. Public schools have been closed in the city, as well as in nearby Worcester and in Buffalo, New York. Mild winter leaves famed skating rink on thin ice
New York City - which could see wind chills as low as -10F ( -23C) - has enacted a "code blue", an emergency designation that allows the homeless to go to any shelter to seek warmth. The combined effect of wind and cold is also expected to bring some of the lowest wind chill temperatures since the 1980s in the New England state of Maine, as well as in Quebec and parts of eastern Canada.
Other major cities are also expected to bottom out in the single digits Fahrenheit (around -13 C to -17 C) by Saturday, although forecasters predict they will rebound by the end of the weekend. Power companies were expecting historic levels of energy consumption into Saturday morning during the coldest period.
The Midwestern states of Michigan, Wisconsin, Indiana, Illinois and Ohio were also not spared by the freezing temperatures. Boston is under a cold emergency. Public schools have been closed in the city, as well as in nearby Worcester and in Buffalo, New York.
Parts of Canada are expecting temperatures anywhere between -38C to -50C (-36.4F to -58F). An extreme cold advisory issued by Environment Canada on Friday morning has blanketed the Maritimes, most of Quebec and all of Ontario, spilling into Manitoba. New York City - which could see wind chills as low as -10F (-23C) - has enacted an emergency designation that allows the homeless to go to any shelter to seek warmth.
In Ottawa, Canada's capital city, the extreme cold forced the closure of a local ski hills and outdoor ice skating trails. In Toronto, the wind chill plunged the temperature to -29C (-20F) on Friday. Nor were the Midwestern states of Michigan, Wisconsin, Indiana, Illinois and Ohio spared by the freezing temperatures.
Parts of Canada were expecting temperatures as low as -58F. An extreme cold advisory issued by Environment Canada on Friday morning blanketed the Maritimes, most of Quebec and all of Ontario, spilling into Manitoba.
In Toronto, the wind chill plunged the temperature to -29C (-20F) on Friday.
Forecasters predict temperatures will rebound by the end of the weekend.
The drop in temperatures is attributed to a powerful Arctic front that stretches from the Canadian maritime provinces to the core of the US.
The brutal winter weather follows this week's deadly ice storm in parts of Texas, where temperatures have begun to climb above freezing, and ice was expected to melt on Friday.The brutal winter weather follows this week's deadly ice storm in parts of Texas, where temperatures have begun to climb above freezing, and ice was expected to melt on Friday.
More than 250,000 people were without power as of Friday evening in Texas, Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee and New York, according to poweroutage.us. At least 11 people have died in the bad weather in the US south since Monday. There were eight fatalities in Texas, two in Oklahoma and one in Arkansas.
More than 250,000 people were still without power as of Friday night in Texas, Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee and New York, according to poweroutage.us.
Watch: Fire crews battle flames in frigid temperaturesWatch: Fire crews battle flames in frigid temperatures
Watch: Fire crews battle flames in frigid temperaturesWatch: Fire crews battle flames in frigid temperatures