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Experts warn that the freezing temperatures wreaking havoc across the US and Canada can lead to frostbite on uncovered areas of skin in just five to 10 minutes.
A powerful Arctic winter storm led to more than 135 million people warning of severe weather at the weekend ahead of the busiest travel period of the year.
The warnings extend from the east coast to the west coast and reach as far south as the US-Mexico and Florida borders.
Major airports canceled thousands of flights as the storm intensified.
Meteorologists say the cold snap could cause the coldest Christmas in decades.
The National Weather Service said temperatures could reach -45 degrees Celsius by the end of this week in some parts of the country.
And they warn that in some areas like Des Moines, Iowa, frostbite will be a significant risk.
Meteorologists say the winter storm could turn into a “bomb hurricane” by Friday.
A bomb cyclone is a rapidly intensifying explosive storm with a central air pressure drop of at least 24 millibars within a 24-hour period.
“This is not like a snow day, like the snow days when I was a kid. This is serious,” President Joe Biden said at a White House briefing on Thursday.
The arctic air mass is expected to bring strong winds and temperatures of -9.4 degrees Celsius in El Paso, Texas, as newly arrived illegal immigrants sleep on the city streets.
The storm has already caused a lot of damage from Colorado to Wyoming, and northern Minnesota.
In South Dakota, emergency manager Robert Oliver said workers were trying to clear roads that had about 10 feet (3 meters) of snow in some areas.
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Oliver said the authorities did not have enough equipment, and in one case the rescue of people stranded in their homes had to be halted as hydraulic fluid in heavy equipment froze.
In addition to the storm itself, there are fears of power outages, and some electric companies have already called on customers to turn off their thermostats.
New York State Governor Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency in anticipation of the storm.
The threat of floods and ice jams, she said, “would wreak a lot of havoc on our society.” Ice jams occur when large chunks of ice block the flow of a river and can cause floods.
The governors of Kentucky, North Carolina, West Virginia, Georgia and Oklahoma also declared states of emergency, while Wisconsin declared an “energy emergency”.
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine called the weather a “unique and dangerous situation,” especially as people travel to be with family and friends this Christmas.
Florida is expected to experience the coldest Christmas in 30 years.
The weather service described it as a “once in a generation” winter weather event, saying on Thursday that “life-threatening winds” would hit the east coast on Friday.
- In Colorado, temperatures fell to a record low of -9 Fahrenheit from 42 Fahrenheit on Thursday
- Cheyenne, Wyoming, set a record for the largest one-hour drop in temperature, after going from 43 degrees Fahrenheit to 3 degrees Fahrenheit in the space of 30 minutes. Elsewhere in the state, temperatures dropped to -35 degrees Fahrenheit
- Neighboring Montana recorded a temperature drop of nearly 12 degrees
- In Chicago, a Winter Storm Warning is in effect through Saturday, bringing heavy snow and winds of up to 50 miles per hour.
In Canada, large areas of Ontario and parts of Quebec are also bracing for a major winter storm that is expected to continue through the Christmas holidays.
More than 5,300 flights have already been canceled in the United States on Thursday and Friday, according to flight-tracking website FlightAware.
In anticipation of the travel disruptions, major airlines including United, Delta and American have offered to waive fees for travelers who want to reschedule their flights.
Roads along the Colorado-Wyoming border were closed Wednesday due to almost zero visibility.
What is frostbite?
- Occur when blood flow to the extremities is reduced, and is a normal response to cold
- Symptoms usually begin with the affected parts feeling cold and painful
- In extreme cases, tissue can die and surgery, or even amputation, may be necessary
- A frostbitten person should be taken to a warm place and medical advice should be obtained