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| 'Polar vortex' eases up on eastern US after days of record-breaking lows | 'Polar vortex' eases up on eastern US after days of record-breaking lows |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The arctic blast that brought record low temperatures to many parts of the United States this week appeared to be loosening its grip on Wednesday, with meteorologists promising a far-reaching thaw by the weekend. | The arctic blast that brought record low temperatures to many parts of the United States this week appeared to be loosening its grip on Wednesday, with meteorologists promising a far-reaching thaw by the weekend. |
| But experts warned that many areas would remain below freezing on Wednesday despite the warm-up, and that travel delays from cancelled flights and rail disruptions caused by the so-called polar vortex could still be expected. | But experts warned that many areas would remain below freezing on Wednesday despite the warm-up, and that travel delays from cancelled flights and rail disruptions caused by the so-called polar vortex could still be expected. |
| Officials reported at least 21 deaths across the country since Sunday due to the extreme cold, including several people who collapsed while shovelling snow and others, including a one-year-old boy in Missouri, killed in vehicle accidents. | Officials reported at least 21 deaths across the country since Sunday due to the extreme cold, including several people who collapsed while shovelling snow and others, including a one-year-old boy in Missouri, killed in vehicle accidents. |
| Temperatures in the 48 states that make up the contiguous United States [subs note: not including Hawaii and Alaska] dipped to an average of 12.2F (-11C) overnight on Tuesday, affecting an estimated 190 million people, according to research scientist Dr Ryan Maue of weatherbell.com. In a phenomenon that forecasters said was actually not all that unusual, all 50 states saw freezing temperatures at some point Tuesday. That included Hawaii, where it was 18F (-8C) atop Mauna Kea, a dormant volcano. | Temperatures in the 48 states that make up the contiguous United States [subs note: not including Hawaii and Alaska] dipped to an average of 12.2F (-11C) overnight on Tuesday, affecting an estimated 190 million people, according to research scientist Dr Ryan Maue of weatherbell.com. In a phenomenon that forecasters said was actually not all that unusual, all 50 states saw freezing temperatures at some point Tuesday. That included Hawaii, where it was 18F (-8C) atop Mauna Kea, a dormant volcano. |
| Even vegetable and citrus growers in Florida, usually immune to worst of the winter's weather, were taking extra measures to protect crops, while many schools in the north east of the country remained closed for a second day. Winter weather advisories remained in place today for Arkansas, Kansas, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma and Tennessee. | Even vegetable and citrus growers in Florida, usually immune to worst of the winter's weather, were taking extra measures to protect crops, while many schools in the north east of the country remained closed for a second day. Winter weather advisories remained in place today for Arkansas, Kansas, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma and Tennessee. |
| Maue said the icy blast brought temperatures that could be expected "once every one or two decades" and that its size and magnitude were unusual but not unprecedented. "The wind made it much, much worse and that's what people will remember from this," he said. | Maue said the icy blast brought temperatures that could be expected "once every one or two decades" and that its size and magnitude were unusual but not unprecedented. "The wind made it much, much worse and that's what people will remember from this," he said. |
| The reprieve from the polar vortex will come from the south west, where a building high pressure area appeared set to push the frigid air back towards the north and east, over parts of Canada and across the Atlantic. | The reprieve from the polar vortex will come from the south west, where a building high pressure area appeared set to push the frigid air back towards the north and east, over parts of Canada and across the Atlantic. |
| Alex Sosnowski, senior meteorologist at accuweather.com, said central areas of the United States would be the first to experience the warming trend. "Over the central states, south and north east, less wind on Wednesday will make for less harsh, less dangerous conditions," he wrote on the website. | |
| "By the weekend, temperatures over most areas affected by the Arctic cold will reach average or above average levels for the middle of January. Temperatures are forecast to reach 50 degrees from St Louis to Cincinnati and New York City this coming weekend." | "By the weekend, temperatures over most areas affected by the Arctic cold will reach average or above average levels for the middle of January. Temperatures are forecast to reach 50 degrees from St Louis to Cincinnati and New York City this coming weekend." |
| The freezing air, however, is likely to be followed by heavy rain in the north east, including New York, where Tuesday's low of 4F -(15.5C) beat the previous record low set of 6F (-14.5C) set in 1896. Elsewhere, from Massachusetts to the southern states of Alabama, Arkansas, Tennessee and the Carolinas, temperatures remained in single digits or barely reached the teens. | The freezing air, however, is likely to be followed by heavy rain in the north east, including New York, where Tuesday's low of 4F -(15.5C) beat the previous record low set of 6F (-14.5C) set in 1896. Elsewhere, from Massachusetts to the southern states of Alabama, Arkansas, Tennessee and the Carolinas, temperatures remained in single digits or barely reached the teens. |
| More than two feet of snow fell in Buffalo, New York, which received its first blizzard warnings for 20 years. In South Carolina, electricity companies used rolling blackouts to cope with the extra demands on energy for heating, and in Indiana more than 10,000 customers remained without power early Wednesday, a quarter of the total nationwide. | More than two feet of snow fell in Buffalo, New York, which received its first blizzard warnings for 20 years. In South Carolina, electricity companies used rolling blackouts to cope with the extra demands on energy for heating, and in Indiana more than 10,000 customers remained without power early Wednesday, a quarter of the total nationwide. |
| Meanwhile, four days of weather disruptions for the airlines lifted the number of cancelled flights to more than 11,000. | Meanwhile, four days of weather disruptions for the airlines lifted the number of cancelled flights to more than 11,000. |
| According to accuweather's long-range weather expert Paul Pastelok, the US has probably not seen the last of the polar vortex, a large cold storm pushed south from the Arctic over the last week. "The clock will be ticking on the upcoming January thaw," he said. "After a relatively mild middle part of January, we are likely to experience a return of Arctic blasts later in the month." | According to accuweather's long-range weather expert Paul Pastelok, the US has probably not seen the last of the polar vortex, a large cold storm pushed south from the Arctic over the last week. "The clock will be ticking on the upcoming January thaw," he said. "After a relatively mild middle part of January, we are likely to experience a return of Arctic blasts later in the month." |
| The Associated Press contributed to this report | The Associated Press contributed to this report |
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