The baltic temperatures that swept across southern parts of the United States earlier in the week are now making their way north as parts of northern America, and Canada brace themselves for some of the coldest air on earth.
Around 100 million people will be affected by the brutal weather, with record-breaking temperatures anticipated. The National Weather Service warns that temperatures could be so low that the average human will suffer frostbite within ten minutes if exposed to it.
While the news is bleak for the north, the south will have a huge sigh of relief as temperatures return to more normal levels. Since Monday, temperatures in parts of Texas have consistently been well below freezing, with a deadly ice storm wreaking havoc.
Fortunately, though, the ice has begun to melt, and residents have started to return to their standard way of life. Flights to and from Texas are now resuming as normal, meaning travel is back on the cards for those interested in getting out of the area or those looking to come in.
For some residents, though, the issues still linger, with around 300,000 people without power in Texas, Arkansas, and Mississippi. It is expected that this figure will reduce significantly over the weekend.
A Week That Won’t Be Forgotten
The past week has been horrendous for those living in Texas and surrounding states. While thousands of flights have been canceled to and from airports in Texas, road travel has also been virtually impossible.
Those attempting to continue using roads in the affected cities and towns have faced incredible difficulty. Texas emergency crews have had to respond to hundreds of collisions thanks to the icy roads.
Sadly, there has been several fatalities with one of the worst incidents occurring in Oklahoma. On Thursday, the icy conditions caused a six-car pileup with brakes failing. A 35-year-old died, with many others involved suffering severe injuries.
With ice storms incredibly rare, there is hope that officials will learn from this event and close more roads should something similar to a storm occurs.
Places To Avoid Over the Weekend
Over the weekend, around 82 million people are expected to face temperatures of -17 celsius. As a result, if you live, or are traveling to, any of the following areas over the weekend, you should limit your time outdoors where possible. Ideally, you will be able to stay indoors at all times.
In the state of Maine, temperatures are going to go even lower than -17 Celsius. In Portland, for example, wind child is expected to reach -40.5 Celsius, equating to the lowest temperature anywhere in Maine has experienced since 1971. The neighboring state, Vermont, will get a high of -20C.
Over in Boston, a cold emergency has been issued with sub-zero winds expected. As a result, public schools have been closed, while in New York City, temperatures are expected to hit around – 17 C on Saturday.
Suppose these areas in the US think they’ve got it bad. In that case, the situation is even more dangerous in parts of Canada, including Quebec and Ontario, where temperatures are expected to be between -38 and -50 C.
This article was produced and syndicated by The Impulse Traveler.
