published
Up to minus 50 degreesUSA is suffering from an extreme, potentially deadly cold snap
Large parts of the United States are currently being hit by an extremely strong arctic storm. The authorities warn of deadly dangers – even President Biden intervened.
Moving in traffic has become dangerous.
DEREK NELSON via REUTERS
Several flights had to be canceled …
via REUTERS
That’s what it’s regarding
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Around two thirds of the USA are currently being hit by an unprecedented cold snap and storms, a “bomb cyclone”.
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In some areas, the thermometer dropped 20 degrees in half an hour.
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The authorities warn of danger to life, especially in traffic.
An arctic storm brings drastic temperature drops and extreme cold to the USA over the Christmas period. The US weather service warned Thursday of heavy snowfall, cold winds and temperatures of up to minus 50 degrees, especially in the north and midwest of the country. In some places, according to the weather service, the temperatures fell by a good 20 degrees within half an hour. Sometimes it gets so cold that there is a risk of frostbite within minutes, the authorities warned. US President Joe Biden also found drastic words on Thursday: “It’s not just a snowy day, like from childhood. This is serious,” he said at the White House.
The extreme cold snap might also upset millions of Americans’ Christmas travel plans. Snow, ice and strong winds threaten to massively affect traffic on the road and in the air. The weather service advised once morest driving in parts of the country that were particularly affected by the cold. The situation can be life-threatening if you break down on the road with the car.
Meteorologist Ashton Robinson Cook said cold air masses will move east from the central US in the coming days. Cold warnings would affect around 135 million people in the coming days. A “bomb cyclone” is expected on the Great Lakes, which occurs when the air pressure in a low-pressure area drops unusually quickly. Blizzards might result, Cook explained.
Icy cold in the south too
The southern United States is also affected. An extreme frost warning has been issued for the states of Louisiana, parts of Mississippi, Alabama and Texas. The governor of Louisiana urged residents of his state to prepare for Arctic temperatures. “Please take care of your friends, your neighbors or family members,” said the governor’s official website. In some parts of Louisiana, which usually has a more subtropical climate, “life-threatening” temperatures of up to minus 15 degrees with strong winds are expected.
How dangerous cold snaps of this kind can be in the USA was shown in February 2021 in the state of Texas in the south of the USA. At that time, the power grid collapsed due to the sudden cold, gas pipelines froze and power plants had to be shut down. Millions of people were left without electricity in the freezing cold, sometimes for days, and many died.
(DPA/trx)
