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North America arctic blast creeps east North America arctic blast arrives in the east
(about 3 hours later)
A brutal blast of arctic air is heading east across North America, bringing dangerously low temperatures not seen in two decades, warn forecasters. A brutal blast of arctic air has settled over eastern North America, bringing dangerously low temperatures not seen in decades.
About half of the US population has been placed under a wind chill warning or cold weather advisory.About half of the US population has been placed under a wind chill warning or cold weather advisory.
In Canada, the province of Ontario is facing temperatures of -40C (-40F) with wind chill. In Toronto, the temperature dropped to -24C (-11F) before dawn on Tuesday.
Thousands of flights have been grounded, and residents told their skin could freeze if they go outside. Air, rail and road travel remain snarled by high, freezing wind, and residents have been warned to stay indoors to avoid frostbite.
People on the US north-east coast were warned to prepare themselves for the cold front sweeping in on Tuesday from the Midwest. Cold air broke records in Chicago on Monday, where the temperature of -16F (-27C) was the lowest ever seen on that date.
Temperatures plummeted overnight in New York and Washington DC by as much as 45 degrees, from unseasonably clement highs a day earlier. It was one of more than 120 daily temperature records broken in cities across the US since the beginning of 2014, many dating back decades.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that parts of major highways would be closed in preparation for the extreme weather, which could see the mercury plummet to -26C (-15F) overnight with wind chill. Sharp temperature drop
The polar blast was threatening crops and livestock across the American farm belt, even in the usually temperate Deep South. The arrival late on Monday of the arctic weather pattern caused temperatures to plummet overnight in New York and Washington DC by as much as 45 degrees in a matter of hours, from unseasonably warm highs a day earlier.
The sub-zero snap was expected to reach as far south as Texas and central Florida, the National Weather Service said. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo closed parts of major highways across his state in preparation for the extreme weather.
Tennessee and Kentucky were forecast to receive several inches of snow. Adding to the misery, forecasters say the areas on the eastern shores of the Great Lakes could again be blanketed by snow, as the cold air moved over the water.
In Canada, 4,000 residents of Quebec and 1,000 in Newfoundland were still without power on Tuesday amid the freezing temperatures and snow.
The polar blast was threatening crops and livestock across the American farm belt, even in the usually temperate Deep South. The freeze was expected to reach as far south as Texas and central Florida, the National Weather Service said.
Meteorologists said some 187 million people in all would feel the effects of the cold by Tuesday.
South Pole cold
The cold temperatures have been widely blamed on a shift in the weather pattern known as the "polar vortex", creating some extreme temperatures.
The freezing, gusty winds have already forced the cancellation of 2,300 flights on Tuesday and have also caused widespread road and rail delays.
JetBlue Airways suspended nearly all operations at airports in Boston and around New York City on Monday, but hoped to be "100% operational" by 15:00 eastern US time (20:00 GMT) on Tuesday.
Toronto's Pearson Airport was at a full ground stop until 09:00 local time (14:00 GMT) with passengers waiting in lines and in planes on tarmacs for several hours, the CBC reported.
More than 500 passengers on their way to Chicago were stuck overnight in northern Illinois on three Amtrak passenger trains after drifting snow and ice covered the tracks.
Train officials said it was safer to keep passengers on board with heat and food than attempt to transfer them to buses in the freezing temperatures and deep snow.
The stuck trains were unloaded on Tuesday morning, with passengers expected to take buses back to Chicago.
In Illinois, the National Guard used 10-tonne military vehicles to clear up after several lorries slid off the road, stranding nearly 400 vehicles. There were no fatalities or injuries reported in those incidents.
Indiana state government employees were told to stay home and in the state capitol of Indianapolis, it has temporarily been made illegal to drive except in an emergency or to seek shelter, in order to keep the roads free for emergency vehicles.
The weather has been blamed for at least 16 deaths in recent days, including:The weather has been blamed for at least 16 deaths in recent days, including:
Meteorologists said some 187 million people in all would be able to feel the effects of the cold snap by Tuesday.
It has been widely blamed on a shift in the weather pattern known as the "polar vortex".
In Comertown, Montana, on Monday the temperature sank to -53C (-63F) with wind chill.
The state of Minnesota saw the mercury plummet to -48C (-56F) by the same measure.
The South Pole, and Irkutsk, Siberia, by comparison, jointly basked in a relatively balmy -33C.
Snow continues to spread south
More than 4,500 US flights were cancelled just on Monday in the US because of the extreme weather.
JetBlue Airways suspended nearly all operations at airports in Boston and around New York City until midday on Tuesday.
The state of Minnesota and the city of Chicago, Illinois, have ordered all schools closed.The state of Minnesota and the city of Chicago, Illinois, have ordered all schools closed.
It was so cold that even the polar bear at Chicago's Lincoln Park Zoo was kept indoors, CNN reports.It was so cold that even the polar bear at Chicago's Lincoln Park Zoo was kept indoors, CNN reports.
Public parks were also shut as officials warned that exposed flesh could become frostbitten, while emergency shelters for homeless people across the country were reported to be operating at maximum capacity. Some relief was in sight in the Midwest, as the cold air pattern moved eastward, the National Weather Service said.
In Illinois, the National Guard used 10-tonne military vehicles to clear up after several lorries jackknifed, stranding nearly 400 vehicles. There were no fatalities or injuries reported in those incidents.
In Indianapolis, Indiana, it has temporarily been made illegal to drive except in an emergency or to seek shelter, in order to prevent accidents and keep the roads free for emergency vehicles.
North of the border, freezing rain also caused hundreds of flight cancellations at airports in Toronto and Ottawa.
Nearly 1,000 homes in Newfoundland, Canada, were still without electricity on Monday after a power outage.
Environment Canada senior climatologist David Phillips told the Globe and Mail newspaper: "The weather gods are out to punish you."
Some parts of Canada could see as much as 23in of snow over just a few days, he said.
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