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| N America weather: Polar vortex brings record temperatures | N America weather: Polar vortex brings record temperatures |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Parts of the US are braced for potentially record-breaking low temperatures as a "polar vortex" brings more freezing weather. | Parts of the US are braced for potentially record-breaking low temperatures as a "polar vortex" brings more freezing weather. |
| A winter storm has already blanketed areas of Canada and the north-eastern US with up to 2ft (60 cm) of snow. | A winter storm has already blanketed areas of Canada and the north-eastern US with up to 2ft (60 cm) of snow. |
| It has been blamed for 16 deaths in recent days and the cancellation of more than 3,700 flights this weekend. | It has been blamed for 16 deaths in recent days and the cancellation of more than 3,700 flights this weekend. |
| Schools in Chicago are among those closing as officials tell people to stay indoors on Monday. | Schools in Chicago are among those closing as officials tell people to stay indoors on Monday. |
| Meanwhile, a plane from Toronto slid into snow as it turned onto a taxiway after landing at New York's JFK airport on Sunday. | Meanwhile, a plane from Toronto slid into snow as it turned onto a taxiway after landing at New York's JFK airport on Sunday. |
| No-one was hurt in the incident but all flights at the airport were suspended for two hours because of icy runways. | No-one was hurt in the incident but all flights at the airport were suspended for two hours because of icy runways. |
| The plunging temperatures result from the polar vortex, an anti-clockwise pool of cold, dense air. | The plunging temperatures result from the polar vortex, an anti-clockwise pool of cold, dense air. |
| The vortex has been very strong, with the cold air locked in to Arctic Canada for a long time. Stuck in one place, the air has got colder and colder. Cold air is dense so once it is released it travels a long way and that is why it is penetrating so far southwards, John Hammond from the BBC Weather Centre says. | |
| Temperatures in the north and central US could feel as low as -60F (-51C) with the effect of wind chill, forecasters say. | |
| Authorities have warned residents to remain indoors, both for their own safety and to keep roads clear for snow removal. | Authorities have warned residents to remain indoors, both for their own safety and to keep roads clear for snow removal. |
| In Canada, thousands of people on the island of Newfoundland remain without power due to a transformer fire linked to heavy snow. | In Canada, thousands of people on the island of Newfoundland remain without power due to a transformer fire linked to heavy snow. |
| 'Bitterly cold' | 'Bitterly cold' |
| "The coldest weather in years will be making its presence known from the Upper Midwest to the Mid-Atlantic region for the beginning of the work week," the US National Weather Service said in a statement. | "The coldest weather in years will be making its presence known from the Upper Midwest to the Mid-Atlantic region for the beginning of the work week," the US National Weather Service said in a statement. |
| The states of Ohio, South Dakota and Illinois are among those set to be hit. Tennessee and Kentucky are forecast to see several inches of snow. | The states of Ohio, South Dakota and Illinois are among those set to be hit. Tennessee and Kentucky are forecast to see several inches of snow. |
| The weather service said "an incredibly strong surge of bitterly cold Arctic air" was sweeping across the country until Tuesday. | The weather service said "an incredibly strong surge of bitterly cold Arctic air" was sweeping across the country until Tuesday. |
| It is set to continue to the north-east, where residents are still digging out from the week's deadly snowstorm. | It is set to continue to the north-east, where residents are still digging out from the week's deadly snowstorm. |
| It could bring some of the coldest temperatures in two decades. | It could bring some of the coldest temperatures in two decades. |
| "The last really big Arctic outbreak was 1994," Reuters news agency quoted Bob Oravec, a forecaster with the National Weather Service, as saying. | "The last really big Arctic outbreak was 1994," Reuters news agency quoted Bob Oravec, a forecaster with the National Weather Service, as saying. |
| "Outbreaks like this don't occur every day." | "Outbreaks like this don't occur every day." |
| In Canada, the temperature dropped as low as -20F (-29C) in Toronto and -36F (-38C) in Quebec City with wind chill on Thursday - the lowest seen in at least two decades there. | In Canada, the temperature dropped as low as -20F (-29C) in Toronto and -36F (-38C) in Quebec City with wind chill on Thursday - the lowest seen in at least two decades there. |
| Heavy snow has also affected US states including New York, Connecticut and Massachusetts. Boston was said to be the worst hit with nearly 18in (45cm) of snow. | Heavy snow has also affected US states including New York, Connecticut and Massachusetts. Boston was said to be the worst hit with nearly 18in (45cm) of snow. |
| Schools have also been closed across the state of Minnesota for Monday, as well as for parts of Wisconsin, Illinois and Indiana, among others. | Schools have also been closed across the state of Minnesota for Monday, as well as for parts of Wisconsin, Illinois and Indiana, among others. |
| Officials in Chicago, Illinois reversed a decision to keep schools open following criticism from a teachers' union, according to the Associated Press. | Officials in Chicago, Illinois reversed a decision to keep schools open following criticism from a teachers' union, according to the Associated Press. |
| State offices were to stay closed in neighbouring Indiana where a state of emergency was declared in Lake County in the northwest, allowing only emergency or law enforcement vehicles on the roads. | State offices were to stay closed in neighbouring Indiana where a state of emergency was declared in Lake County in the northwest, allowing only emergency or law enforcement vehicles on the roads. |
| The Green Bay Packers football team handed out hot chocolate and hand warmers to fans at a game being played in Wisconsin on Sunday. Doctors had urged fans to wear at least three layers of clothing. | The Green Bay Packers football team handed out hot chocolate and hand warmers to fans at a game being played in Wisconsin on Sunday. Doctors had urged fans to wear at least three layers of clothing. |
| Sixteen deaths have been blamed on the wide-ranging storm, according to the Associated Press news agency. | Sixteen deaths have been blamed on the wide-ranging storm, according to the Associated Press news agency. |
| A salt storage worker was killed in Philadelphia when a 100-ft (30-metre) pile of road salt fell and crushed him. A woman suffering from Alzheimer's disease in New York state froze to death after she wandered away from her rural home. | A salt storage worker was killed in Philadelphia when a 100-ft (30-metre) pile of road salt fell and crushed him. A woman suffering from Alzheimer's disease in New York state froze to death after she wandered away from her rural home. |
| Some 1,200 flights were cancelled across the US on Saturday, with over 2,500 cancelled nationwide by the middle of Sunday, almost half of those in Chicago. | Some 1,200 flights were cancelled across the US on Saturday, with over 2,500 cancelled nationwide by the middle of Sunday, almost half of those in Chicago. |
| Environment Canada has said "widespread dangerous wind chills" are likely across Ontario in the first half of the week. | Environment Canada has said "widespread dangerous wind chills" are likely across Ontario in the first half of the week. |
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