‘Polar vortex event’ brings subzero temps to U.S. — and it could become more common.

Author: Stephen Johnson / Source: Big Think

• Cold Arctic air will bring temperatures near or below zero degrees Fahrenheit for more than 100 million Americans.
• A disruption in the swirling mass of air above the Arctic Circle – a pattern known as the polar vortex – is causing this weather event.
• Although counterintuitive, it’s possible that global warming leads to these kinds of disruptions.

A huge mass of Arctic air is sweeping across the U.S., bringing subzero temperatures that have grounded flights, closed schools and killed at least two so far.

Temperatures are lowest in the Midwest and New England, where about 25 million people are projected to face temperatures of minus 20 degrees Fahrenheit, with wind chills of around minus 60 in parts of Minnesota and North Dakota. On Wednesday morning, Chicago was colder than Antarctica by 10 degrees at minus 21.

“The heart of the Arctic cold has arrived,” the

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office said on Twitter. “The combined effects of the cold & winds are at their peak today with wind chills of -45° to -60° continuing. The afternoon highs today…yes the highs…will only be -11° to -17°.”

Only 5 to 10 minutes…that’s all it takes to get frostbite in this frigid weather. #WinterSafety https://t.co/UUE6BdIRQ5

— NWS Des Moines (@NWSDesMoines)

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Nationwide, at least two people have been confirmed dead and thousands of flights have been cancelled.

“You’re talking about frostbite and hypothermia issues very quickly, like in a matter of minutes, maybe seconds,” Brian Hurley, a…

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