A shift in air flow has actually pushed true polar air towards the East Coast and the frigid weather and record-breaking wind chills are wreaking havoc across a major portion of the country. On Jan. 23, 18 states were under wind chill advisories and warnings and the exceptionally cold weather is causing dangerous conditions for areas that haven’t felt the extreme chill in years.
A home in Indianapolis caught fire when the homeowner tried to warm it using an oven. The mother was able to escape with her two children. In Michigan, underground water meters are freezing. Schools in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan are closed or started late. AAA reported on Wednesday that it has responded to more than 1,000 weather related calls about dead batteries and flat tires in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area alone. In Ohio, there was an 86-car pile-up close to Cincinnati. In Chicago, police rescued a dog from frozen Lake Michigan on Tuesday. Wind chills were dangerously low this morning and frostbite remains a concern.
According to The Weather Channel, the wind chill factor is the calculation of temperature that takes into consideration the effects of wind and temperature on the human body. It describes the average loss of body heat and how the temperature feels. Below were some of the bone-chilling wind chills across the country at 7:30 a.m. EST on Wednesday, Jan. 23.
- Caribou, Maine: -30°
- Burlington, Vt.: -25°
- International Falls, Minn.: -14°
- Detroit, Mich.: -8°
- Chicago: -2°
- New York City: -1°
- Philadelphia: 1°
- Minneapolis, Minn.: 8°
- Oklahoma City, Okla.: 9°
- St. Louis, Mo.: 10°
Interestingly enough, The Weather Channel reported on Wednesday that the weather in Southern Canada was colder than current conditions in the North Pole.
An upper level disturbance that is developing over the Pacific Northwest will move east and could produce snow in the Mid West and Northeast and an icy mix as far south as Atlanta, home of The Weather Channel. “It’s a very close call,” an on-air TWC meteorologist said at 10 a.m. “It could be a challenge for driving.” On Friday, flight delays may build through the day in the major Northeast hubs, particularly Washington, Philly, and New York's three major airports.
For the latest information on the record-breaking cold weather and potential for snow or ice, stay tuned to The Weather Channel, your TV, online and mobile source for current information and changing conditions.
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