Arctic blast continues freezing conditions across U.S.

What are the risks of wind chill?

More than 140 million people are under wind chill warnings or advisories and are urged to take care and stay out of the wind. But why is it so dangerous?

Wind chill is when the cold weather is made to feel much colder by the wind. The more wind, the faster the body loses heat and the greater the chance of hypothermia or frostbite.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) warns that higher windspeeds can greatly increase risk.

With temperatures of minus-40 Fahrenheit and winds of 5mph, frostbite can occur in 10 minutes or less. When it is minus-20 but with wind speeds of 45mph, frostbite can happen in 5 minutes or less. The wind chill value of both situations is minus-58 degrees but one has much higher winds removing body heat a much faster rate.

NOAA advises not to go out at all when wind chill is at minus-50 or below — but if it’s absolutely necessary, cover every body part, including fingers, face and so on. People are advised to drink plenty of fluids, but to avoid caffeine, nicotine and alcohol because they constrict blood vessels.

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Freezing weather closes schools across the country

Schools up and down the U.S. will be closed today after the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday yesterday. Here is a list of the areas with full or partial closures.

In Chicago. IL and Buffalo, NY all classes and after-school activities are canceled amid temperatures as low as minus-30 with wind chill.

There are a range of closures across the South, including in: North Georgia; Houston, TX; Dallas-Fort Worth, TX; Nashville, TN; East Texas; Baton Rouge, LA; Jackson, MS; Alabama and Little Rock, AR.

The U.S. is still freezing — and there’s more to come

Another day of snow storms, warnings and sub-zero temperatures is set for communities across the lower-48, the National Weather Service said early today.

Wintry precipitation along both the East and West Coasts coincides with “frigid Arctic air” over Central and Southern parts of the country, the NWS said. Potentially record-breaking cold temperatures are expected across the Rockies, Great Plains and the Midwest today.

Wind chills taking the temperature to below minus 30 could extend into the South, reaching the Mississippi Valley. Almost 80% of the U.S. was experiencing sub-zero temperatures overnight.

The Mid-Atlantic into New England has widespread winter warnings or advisories and between 2 and 4 inches of snow is possible in New York State.

Significant freezing rain is set for the Pacific Northwest, including Portland, with ice storm warnings in place — up to half an inch of ice could fall, the weather service said. Parts of the Cascade Mountains into the Rockies could see 15 to 28 inches of snow.

There might be a brief reprieve in the frigid winter weather from Wednesday onwards, with below-average but not brutally cold temperatures expected. but another Arctic blast of cold air is expected Thursday into Friday, bringing yet more weather warnings in its wake.

State of emergency as U.S. faces arctic blast

Millions of Americans are still dealing with an arctic blast moving across the country. Tonight, almost 80% of the U.S. is below freezing temperatures. The storm system is already believed to have claimed ten lives. Jesse Kirsch reports from Michigan.