SUB-ZERO ARCTIC BLAST STRIKES US
NEW YORK, Jan 06, 2014 (AFP) - Millions of people across the United States on Monday braced for a “lifethreatening” bitter Arctic blast that could send temperatures plummeting to their coldest in 20 years.
The northeastern United States and parts of Canada have endured heavy snow and deadly sub-zero conditions since the start of the year, but the deep freeze is now moving through much of the country east of the Rocky Mountains.
The wind chill from the rare “polar vortex” could make it feel as cold as -60 Fahrenheit (-51 Celsius) in places, weather forecasters say, prompting authorities to warn residents to stay indoors and stock up on food.
“Cold temperatures and gusty winds associated with an arctic airmass will continue dangerously cold wind chills as far south as Brownsville, Texas [on the border with Mexico] and central Florida,” the National Weather Service said.
“This arctic air mass will affect the eastern two-thirds of the country on Monday as a sharp cold front moves towards the East Coast.” Exposed skin could suffer frostbite in as little as five minutes in such conditions, experts warn.
The NWS described the weather as “life-threatening” and “the coldest temperatures in almost two decades.” Combined with wind gusts, the low temperatures in some areas “will result in lifethreatening wind-chill values as low as 60 degrees (Fahrenheit) below zero,” it said.
Authorities are warning people that they could face issues like cars that won't start and flooded roads that quickly ice over caused by water pipes that freeze and burst.