Millions of Americans are enduring bone-chilling cold, with temperatures dropping as low as -42 degrees Celsius.
According to NBC, forecasts indicate that January 11 will not only be the coldest day of the week but also the coldest day in three years for areas in the Upper Midwest, Great Lakes, and Northeast.
Heavy snowfall in Washington, DC, USA on January 3, 2022. (Photo: AFP/TTXVN)
The air temperature at sunrise was below 0, with wind chill factors dropping to -34 degrees Celsius across northern New England.
The cold air was so intense that it could be seen from space in infrared satellite images.
The forecast for January 11 predicts high temperatures ranging from -9 to -1 degrees Celsius, especially in the Northeast.
This will be the coldest afternoon in New York since 2019, with a projected high of -5 degrees Celsius.
In Boston, temperatures reached -11 degrees Celsius. The Boston public school system, the largest in Massachusetts, announced it would close on January 11 due to the extreme cold.
The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services announced that four COVID-19 testing sites in the state would close on January 11 due to the frigid temperatures.
The good news is that this cold snap will be short-lived, with temperatures expected to rise on January 12 and remain warmer through the weekend.
U.S. news outlets are warning residents to stay indoors, as frostbite can occur within 30 minutes in such low temperatures. People should also check on vulnerable family members, neighbors, and pets, and let faucets drip to prevent pipes from freezing.
This cold weather follows reports that the continental U.S. experienced a record warm December 2021, making 2021 the fourth warmest year on record.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported that 10 states recorded their warmest December on record.
The record warm temperatures led to numerous tornado outbreaks, with as many as 193 tornadoes occurring, making December 2021 the month with the highest number of tornadoes.
Overall, in 2021, the average temperature across 48 states was 12.5 degrees Celsius, significantly higher than the 20th-century average. The six warmest years in the U.S. have all been since 2012.
