(WP) – A historic Arctic outbreak continues to bring a bone-chilling deep freeze to the central United States, as the coldest air in generations plunges south and is accompanied by snow and ice all the way to the Gulf of Mexico. Some cities will see their lowest temperatures in more than a century as high-impact winter storms roll across the country.
Temperatures about 50 degrees below average occupy an enormous swath of the central United States, stretching from the Rockies to the Mississippi Valley and the Midwest. At least 15 states could see temperatures of minus-10 or colder, while lows near the U.S.-Canada border flirt with minus-40.
More than 50 million people could see temperatures dip below zero during the next several days as the record-setting deep freeze envelops the country. Meanwhile, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) issued a state disaster declaration, where every one of the state’s 254 counties was under a winter storm watch, warning, or advisory leading up to the approaching storms.
“Extreme impacts” were likely, according to the National Weather Service. Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) declared a weather disaster emergency for his state, with every county under a winter storm warning. The cold is expected to be damaging in these areas, with pipe bursts in homes adding to ice-induced power outages. READ MORE
