Tag Archives: Wind Chill

Third Polar Vortex Likely Coldest

A third “polar vortex” is aiming at the U.S. this week and it could bring the lowest temperatures of this winter’s trio of storms.

The forecast models show the frigid arctic air reaching into northern Mexico and all the way to south-central Florida.  Parts of the Gulf of Mexico could see temperatures well below freezing.

The vortex is also expected to be longer than the previous two, lasting almost three days in some regions.  Cities in the upper to central Midwest could be facing lows below zero for consecutive days with wind chills that could reach -50 degrees.

The National Weather Service said it could actually be warmer in the nation’s northernmost city, Barrow, Alaska, than it could be in most of the Midwest.  Barrow’s predicted high for Monday is -4 degrees.  That is the same predicted high for Chicago.

Forecasters say the temperature without wind chill could reach -17 degrees downtown.  Wind chills could surge past -40 degrees.

In the northern Midwest, residents faced an additional problem as high winds blew snow to the point it made travel impossible.

Officials across the Midwest are encouraging residents to stay inside for the next two days and avoid travel unless absolutely necessary.

Polar Vortex Brings Potentially Fatal Temperatures

Officials in some parts of the upper Midwest were telling residents to just stay home instead of venturing out into potentially deadly weather conditions.

Wind chills across North Dakota and Minnesota have reached as much as 70 degrees below zero causing exposed skin to freeze in minutes. The state of Minnesota called off school for extreme cold for the first time in 17 years because of the anticipated wind chills.

Temperatures dove across the entire country from International Falls, Minnesota at -28 degrees overnight to 27 degrees along the Gulf of Mexico in Biloxi, Mississippi.

The temperatures were so cold in Chicago that thousands of flights had to be delayed or cancelled. Nationwide, around 3,530 flights were delayed and over 2,500 had to be cancelled.

In addition to the frigid temperatures, icy road conditions led to hundreds of accidents nationwide. Power outages are spotty through the northeast because of wet power lines icing in the frigid conditions.