
About 250 million
people -- or 77% of the continental US population -- will face temperatures
below freezing this week. Of those, 90 million will endure temperatures below
zero and a staggering 25 million Americans could see temperatures fall to 20
degrees below zero, according to meteorologist Ryan Maue of weathermodels.com.
The coldest air in
more than two decades will blow through the central and northern part of the
country, with wind chills in the northern Plains and Great Lakes region
reaching 30-60 degrees below zero, CNN meteorologist Dave Hennen said. Temperatures
will plunge to 20-40 degrees below zero between Tuesday and Thursday in the
Upper Midwest and Great Lakes, Hennen said.
Looks great on a map! -27°F all-time record low (tie) in Chicago.— Ryan Maue (@RyanMaue) January 29, 2019
Perhaps never to see this cold again ... or more likely next winter or in 5 years. pic.twitter.com/ePMvMQvJb7
The National Weather Service is warning that accumulated snow and frozen roadways throughout the eastern and southern US may leave roadways too dangerous to drive on. The extreme weather has caused schools across the country to shut down for at least part of the week. And more than 3,480 US flights have been canceled through Wednesday, according to Flightaware.com.
Cold weather leaves at least two dead
At least two
deaths have been attributed to the current cold pattern. A man in Rochester,
Minnesota, was found dead Sunday outside the home where he was staying with a
relative. CNN affiliate KIMT reported 22-year-old Ali Alfred
Gombo didn't have keys to the home and was unable to enter after being dropped
off outside early Sunday morning. The single-digit temperatures that dipped
below zero may have played a role in his death, according to Rochester police. Police
in Libertyville, Illinois, said a man was killed Monday morning as a result of
the weather.
Frozen Lighthouses on Lake Michigan
“The man died after a roadway crash involving a village plow truck and a pedestrian,” police said.
The man was
pronounced dead at the scene and the plow driver has been placed on paid
administrative leave pending the results of an investigation, according to
police.
Chicago 'epicenter of extreme cold'
Illinois Gov. JB
Pritzker warned of a "potentially historic winter storm that will bring
extreme cold to our state." The state has activated an emergency
preparedness plan to help state agencies and residents prepare for the brutal
temperatures, Pritzker said. Chicago is one of the cities "in the
epicenter of the extreme cold," Hennen said.
The river winding
through downtown Chicago has already frozen over. It could remain below zero in
the city from around noon on Tuesday until around midday on Friday, Hennen
said. Lows in the Windy City are expected to approach a record of 27 below
zero. The daytime high on Wednesday could reach 15 below.

On Sunday, Chicago
police officers formed a "human chain" to save a man who fell into
the freezing Lake Michigan trying to save his dog, according to CNN affiliate WLS. The five officers grabbed onto each
other's belts and pulled the 33-year-old man from the water, WLS reported. His
dog also was rescued, the news station reported.
“We didn't talk about it, we just kind of did it,” Chicago Police Department Sgt. Alex Silva said at a Monday news conference, according to WLS.
States under emergency procedures
Several states
have declared a state of emergency in response to the extreme cold, including
Michigan where Gov. Gretchen Whitmer warned residents to limit their time
outside and be aware of signs of frostbite and hypothermia.
“Keeping Michiganders safe during this stretch of dangerously cold temperatures is our priority,” Whitmer said in a news release Monday. “Such widespread, extreme conditions have not occurred in Michigan for many years and it is imperative that we are proactive with record-low temperatures being predicted by the National Weather Service.”
Gov. Tony Evers
also declared a state of emergency in Wisconsin, where multiple school
districts, including Milwaukee Public Schools, will remain closed Tuesday.
“I want to make sure all state assets are available, including Wisconsin National Guard if needed, to help communities across the state and keep people warm and safe,” Evers said on Twitter.
In Alabama, Gov.
Kay Ivey warned residents to prepare for rain, snow and freezing temperatures.
“The winter storm has the potential to affect a large portion of our state,” Ivey said Monday in a news release. “Travel conditions could be negatively impacted Tuesday and Wednesday mornings. Please avoid travel if possible, and be very careful if you do have to get out on the roadways.”
And the Super Bowl?
In Atlanta, where
the New England Patriots are set to face the Los Angeles Rams in the Super Bowl
on Sunday, temperatures will plunge Tuesday as the city gets hit with up to 2
inches of snow. All Georgia state offices will be closed Tuesday and the city
will be opening emergency warming centers Tuesday starting at 6 a.m. The centers
will remain open until Thursday morning.
The city began
pretreating some routes and bridges with a brine solution on Monday to prevent
freezing, Atlanta Department of Public Works Communications Director Kim
Rankins said. Crews were expected to begin using a salt treatment overnight
Monday and through the end of the weather event.
Mayor Keisha Lance
Bottoms said she is in touch with NFL officials and will work with them
regarding events scheduled across the city as winter weather moves into the
area. Temperatures are expected to rebound before Sunday's kickoff at the
Mercedes-Benz Stadium, melting anything that sticks to the roads in time for
the big game.
This CAN'T be happening. We all know the planet is getting warmer!
ReplyDeleteYou clearly don't know or understand how global warming works, do you? You'd say differently if you were in Australia recently where they had record breaking heat waves... Just look up the science behind it all.
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