Scott Olson, Getty ImagesThe sun rises along the lakefront while temperatures were hovering around -20 degrees and wind chills nearing -50 degrees on Jan. 31, 2019, in Chicago, Illinois. Businesses and schools have closed, Amtrak has suspended service into the city, more than a thousand flights have been cancelled and mail delivery has been suspended as the city copes with record-setting low temperatures.
Steven Rosenberg, Chicago Tribune via APCommuters wait in below zero temperatures for a CTA Red line train at the Belmont station, Friday, Jan. 25, 2019. An arctic blast spread painful cold across the Midwest on Friday, with more dangerous weather expected next week.
Saul Loeb, Getty ImagesThe Reflecting Pool on the National Mall in Washington, DC, Jan. 31, 2019, is frozen as the region experiences frigid cold temperatures from a "Polar Vortex."
Barbara Gauntt, The Clarion-Ledger, via APGrass peaks out from beneath a light blanket of snow near the Galleria Parkway in Madison, Miss., Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2019, after a cold front moved through the Jackson, Miss. metro area early that morning. The front left frigid temperatures but less than an inch of snow.
Nati Harnik, The Associated PressUniversity of Nebraska students sip complementary hot chocolate as they wait in freezing temperatures to be admitted to Pinnacle Bank Arena for an NCAA college basketball game against Wisconsin, in Lincoln, Neb., Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2019.
odd Mizener, The Dispatch - The Rock Island Argus via APIce forms on the eyelashes of Aubreyanne Edwards, of Rock Island, Ill., as she braves minus 27 windchill while walking to The Fort Armstrong apartments Wednesday, Jan. 30, 2019, in Rock Island, Ill. A blast of polar air enveloped much of the Midwest on Wednesday, cracking train rails, breaking water pipes and straining electrical systems across the Rust Belt with some of the lowest temperatures in a generation.
John Hart, Wisconsin State Journal via APAs a winter storm system moves through the upper Midwest snow plows clear snow from the westbound lanes of U.S. Highway 12/18 in Madison, Wis., Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2019.
Neil Blake/The Grand Rapids Press via APUnited States Postal Service letter carrier Keith Caniff sorts mail on his route in East Grand Rapids, Mich., Monday, Jan. 28, 2019.
Jacqueline Larma, The Associated PressDrifting snow obscures a road near Mount Joy in Lancaster County, Pa., on Wednesday Jan. 30, 2019. A bitter deep freeze is moving into the Northeast from the Midwest, sending temperatures plummeting and making road conditions dangerous.
Jake May, The Flint Journal via APWind pushes snow back onto Sarah Allen as she clears her driveway and sidewalks with a snowblower during a winter snowstorm Monday, Jan. 28, 2019, in Flint. Mich.
Joshua Clark, The Post-Crescent via APA snow-covered Jeremy Buckta snowblows his driveway in whiteout conditions during a snowstorm Monday, Jan. 28, 2019, in Manitowoc, Wis.
Jerry Holt, Star Tribune via APThe outside temperature was -28 as Emily Pieper lead cows to the milking parlor at Metogga Lake Dairy early Wednesday, Jan. 30, 2019 in New Prague, Minn. The Pieper family dairy farm has been around since 1973, and this morning starting a 4 a.m., the milked 412 cows, produce 4,000 gallons of milk.
Anthony Wahl, The Janesville Gazette via APJan White clears snow from his driveway Monday, Jan. 28, 2019, following a winter snowstorm that made its way through Janesville, Wis., overnight. Democratic Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers declared a state of emergency shortly after noon Monday, citing the snow and severe cold that is forecast for the days ahead.
Jeffrey Phelps, The Associated PressGeese huddle in the waters as the sun rises in the harbor in Port Washington, Wis. on Wednesday, Jan. 30, 2019 as temperatures were -22 degrees with -50 degree wind chills.
Todd McInturf, Detroit News via APAnton Maurice Spann, Sr., 56, gives his wife, Shavonne Spann, 33, both of Detroit, a good morning kiss as she wakes up Jan. 30, 2019. They were the only two people to stay at the St. Augustine / St. Monica Catholic Church warming center the night before. The Michigan Region of The American Red Cross has provided 50 cots for people needing the warming center, that is open 24-hours a day until Friday at 8am. Personal necessity items and warm food is also available. Anton and Shavonne, his wife of 15 years, live close by in a two-family flat that they rent for $400 per month. Their electricity bill is also $400 a month and they can't afford both, so Anton turned off the electricity to save on that bill and will stay at the warming center so they can pay both bills in the future.
Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune via APPeople sleep in tents near a wooded area adjacent to the Dan Ryan Expressway Tuesday Jan. 29, 2019, in Chicago. Officials throughout the region were focused on protecting vulnerable people from the cold, including the homeless, seniors and those living in substandard housing.
Scott Olson, Getty ImagesA jogger runs along the lakefront as temperature hung around -20 degrees on Jan. 30, 2019 in Chicago, Illinois. Businesses and schools have closed, Amtrak has suspended service into the city, more than a thousand flights have been cancelled and mail delivery has been suspended as the city copes with record-setting low temperatures.
Mark Lennihan, The Associated PressIce forms on tree branches as New York firefighters battle a blaze in a commercial building in the Bedford Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn, Thursday, Jan. 31, 2019, in New York. Firefighters around New York state have been grappling with brutal cold during big blazes.
Tara Walton/The Canadian Press via APIce and water flows over the American Falls, seen from Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada Thursday, Jan. 31, 2019.
Joseph PREZIOSO , AFPAircraft take off and land at Logan Airport in Boston, Massacusetts on Jan. 31, 2019 on a day where over 2000 flights were cancelled and delayed due to extreme cold and ice conditions caused by the Polar Vortex over the midwest and northern parts of North America. - A brutal cold wave moved eastward Thursday after bringing temperatures in the US Midwest lower than those in Antarctica, grounding flights, closing schools and businesses and raising fears of hypothermia. The extreme weather has now been blamed for as many as eight deaths, US news outlets reported. JOSEPH PREZIOSO/AFP/Getty Images
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The sun rises along the lakefront while temperatures were hovering around -20 degrees and wind chills nearing -50 degrees on Jan. 31, 2019, in Chicago, Illinois. Businesses and schools have closed, Amtrak has suspended service into the city, more than a thousand flights have been cancelled and mail delivery has been suspended as the city copes with record-setting low temperatures.
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Getting your player ready...
The intense cold of the polar vortex wreaked havoc upon the Midwest during the past couple of days, with subzero temperatures leading to at least 15 deaths, according to The Associated Press.
On Thursday, the system marched east, spreading arctic conditions over an area from Buffalo to Brooklyn. In western New York, a storm that dumped up to 20 inches of snow (51 centimeters) gave way to subzero temperatures and face-stinging wind chills. In New York City, about 200 firefighters battling a blaze in a commercial building took turns getting warm on buses.
For the nation’s midsection, relief was as close as the weekend.
Rockford, Illinois, was at a record-breaking minus 31 (minus 35 Celsius) on Thursday morning but should be around 50 (10 Celsius) on Monday. Other previously frozen areas could see temperatures of 55 (13 Celsius) or higher.
With that comes new issues as the sudden warmth was sure to bring more broken roads and busted water mains.