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Extreme cold wave in some areas of the US, temperatures reach minus 40 degrees

Politiko 2025-01-21 09:09:57

Extreme cold wave in some areas of the US, temperatures reach minus 40 degrees

Many parts of the U.S. have been gripped by extreme cold earlier this week. Temperatures as low as minus 40 degrees Celsius and heavy snowfall are making the situation life-threatening, according to the National Weather Service. Forecasters also issued winter storm warnings for Monday (Jan. 20), which could affect up to 70 million people.

Residents of the Mid-Atlantic states, in particular, should dress warmly, especially in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. In New England, further north, including the states of Connecticut, New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Vermont, warnings have been in effect since yesterday afternoon. Heavy snowfall is expected in western New York through Wednesday, with up to 90 centimeters of precipitation in some areas.

Emergency equipment and charged cell phones are recommended.

The cold has been affecting much of the US for days, but on Monday (January 21), temperatures were expected to drop from 34 to 48 degrees below zero. Minnesota residents are advised to wear appropriate winter clothing and carry emergency supplies if traveling.

Emergency services remind drivers to travel with a fully filled tank and fully charged cell phones, to contact their families in case of need.

Record low temperatures are also expected in the capital, Washington, DC, where the thermometer is likely to drop to seven degrees below zero, according to meteorologists. There is also an icy wind blowing. The forecast led the incoming US president, Donald Trump, to hold his inauguration ceremony inside the Capitol.

The cold wave is associated with the so-called "Arctic Outbreak". This refers to the sudden arrival of extremely cold air from the polar regions, to lower areas. According to experts, this air mass often flows from the Arctic through Canada and the US, driven by strong high-pressure systems in the north and low-pressure areas further south. As a result, temperatures reach minus 35 degrees Celsius, and on land they can drop below minus 40 degrees Celsius. In combination with strong winds, snowstorms, known as "Blizzards", can cause chaotic conditions in the environment.

Extreme weather - more frequent due to climate change
While devastating wildfires swept through the Los Angeles metropolitan area on Saturday on the West Coast, some areas received more snow last week than at any other time of year. Meteorologists believe that various extreme weather phenomena, such as those occurring this week in the US, have become more frequent due to climate change./DW

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