Not that anyone cares but where I live in Illinois, Wednesday morning, January 30, 2019, it's going to be a bit colder than usual, -24 degrees (-31 degrees Celsius). Strong winds will make it feel like -51 degrees (-46 Celsius). I never thought this was possible.
Wall Street Journal - Midwest Prepares for Subzero Polar Vortex
Arctic air pushes south, bringing snow to Nashville; minus 13 seen for a high in Chicago.
By Kris Maher
Jan. 28, 2019
From Chicago to Nashville, a broad swath of the middle of the country is gearing up for frigid temperatures as arctic air is expected to blanket the region this week.
In Iowa, the coldest temperatures in over two decades are expected to create wind chills of between minus 35 degrees and minus 55 degrees Tuesday night through Thursday morning. In Chicago, the daytime high is expected to reach a record of minus 13 degrees Wednesday.
“With these conditions, we consider it life-threatening,” said Jeff Schild, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Bismarck, N.D., where temperatures are expected to plummet by Wednesday to minus 30 degrees, with a wind chill of minus 60 degrees.
The brutal blast results from a temporary shift of an extremely cold air mass that normally sits over the Arctic region, scientists say.
Recent research has found that diminishing sea ice north of Russia sends more heat into the atmosphere, which ultimately destabilizes the polar vortex, a low pressure area over the North Pole, and contributes to more frequent wavy patterns in the jet stream over North America.
“That allows that polar air to plunge southward,” said Jennifer Francis, a senior scientist with the Woods Hole Research Center in Woods Hole, Mass. “We think it’s connected back to the sea ice loss.”
Several major airlines are allowing travelers set to pass through Chicago and dozens of other cities in the Midwest and Northeast to reschedule flights this week with no fee if they are concerned about weather-related delays or cancellations.
Airlines on Monday canceled nearly a third of their flights at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport and over 40% of flights at Midway International Airport amid snow and ice, according to FlightAware.com.
Cold is even stretching farther south. In Nashville, an emergency shelter was opened Monday night in anticipation of freezing temperatures and snow. In Georgia, Gov. Brian Kemp ordered many state offices to close Tuesday as snow and ice were forecast.
In Chicago, where temperatures already dipped below zero this past weekend, the downtown is expected to see a low of minus 20 degrees in the early morning hours Wednesday, with a wind chill of about minus 45 degrees. The region will see record-breaking lows at many locations over the next two days, said Amy Seeley, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Chicago.
Across the northern tier of the Midwest, officials warned people to limit their time outdoors. Those who need to drive in states like North Dakota should bring a winter survival kit, including blankets and flares, wear appropriate clothing and inform people of their travel plans, said weather officials. People also were advised to bring their pets inside.
—Alison Sider contributed to this article.
Write to Kris Maher at kris.maher@wsj.com
Appeared in the January 29, 2019, print edition.
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