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Brace for a Dramatic Forecast Shift: Record Heat in the West, Winter’s Return in the East

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A sharp and unusual shift in weather patterns is set to sweep across the United States, bringing a striking split of an intense, record-breaking heat in the West and a renewed blast of winter in the East.

The change is being driven by a powerful atmospheric setup that will likely persist for up to two weeks. A strong ridge of high pressure, often called a “heat dome,” is expected to settle over the western half of the country, allowing temperatures to surge well above seasonal norms. At the same time, the jet stream will dip southward on the eastern side of that ridge, funneling cold Canadian air into the Midwest and East.

The result will be a pronounced case of weather whiplash. Areas that recently experienced springlike warmth will soon return to much colder conditions, with the possibility of additional snowfall through mid-to-late March.

Cities that climbed into the 70s and 80s earlier this week are expected to cool dramatically, with highs dropping into the 30s and 40s. Washington, DC, for example, reached 84 degrees on Tuesday but is forecast to fall into the 50s over the weekend and into the 40s early next week. Parts of the Northeast, which also saw temperatures in the 70s, could face multiple chances for snow over the next five to seven days.

The chill may extend as far south as Florida, where some areas could see overnight lows in the 50s this weekend, with a further drop into the 40s early next week. While the East braces for a late-season cold snap, the situation in the West is expected to be far more extreme and potentially dangerous.

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Forecasters say the heat wave will dominate headlines beginning Thursday and could persist for at least two weeks. Numerous locations across the region are likely to challenge or break all-time March temperature records.

The National Weather Service has issued warnings, particularly for the Southwest, urging residents to prepare for unusually intense and long-lasting heat. In Phoenix, temperatures could reach 100 degrees, the earliest ever recorded, more than 10 days ahead of the current record.

“Given the unprecedented length and magnitude of this extreme heat wave, heat stress will be increasing each day.”

Extreme heat is the leading weather-related cause of death in the contiguous United States each year, underscoring the risks posed by early-season temperature spikes.

Beyond the immediate dangers, the heat wave is expected to worsen already concerning environmental conditions. Snowpack across the West is significantly below average, and the surge in temperatures will accelerate melting, raising alarms about water availability later in the year and the potential for an intense wildfire season.

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Speaking about the West, University of California climate scientist Daniel Swain stated the outlook for snowpack is especially dire in states like Colorado and Utah, which are on track to set record lows.

“We’re going to get to April first, and we’re going to see some very scary snowpack numbers essentially everywhere.”

Southern California, in particular, could see temperatures soaring 20 to 30 degrees above average during the next two weeks, according to the National Weather Service.

This event comes on the heels of an already exceptional season. The West just experienced its warmest meteorological winter on record, with several states setting all-time highs for winter temperatures.

Scientists note that climate change is increasing the likelihood, duration, and intensity of heat waves and is likely contributing to the region’s record-breaking winter warmth.

Seasonal patterns themselves are also shifting. Winter is warming faster than any other season across much of the United States, and spring is arriving earlier in many regions, with the final freeze occurring sooner than in the past.

For now, however, the immediate story is of a country divided between early-summer heat and a lingering grip of winter, all unfolding at once.

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US Experiences Record Breaking Cold Temperatures From Intense Snow And Ice Storms

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An intense arctic blast has brought heavy snowfall, wind, and ice storms to the US, threatening to bring record breaking low temperatures and dangerous conditions, especially in the South, this week.

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US Airlines Gearing Up For Record-Breaking Air Travel For Thanksgiving 

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US airlines are expecting record breaking travel demand this year for Thanksgiving, with multiple executives across many airline companies gearing up to prepare for the influx in travel.

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Outgoing National Institutes Of Health Director Tells Americans To Focus On Covid As The Real Enemy 

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“I get upset because people point to anecdotes of somebody who got sick even though they had been vaccinated and say, ‘There, you see, it doesn’t work,’ That’s way too simplistic,” said Dr. Francis Collins on his last day as director of the National Institutes of Health. 

Around 50 million Americans still haven’t received even their first dose of Covid-19 inoculation, and with the omicron variant causing a major surge in new cases throughout the US, Collins made his frustration in those still refusing to get vaccinated evident. 

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“How did that happen? How did we get all of this so mixed up with social media, misinformation, and political insertion into the discussion? This is the thing for me on my last day as NIH director that I find particularly frustrating.”

An investigation performed by NPR revealed that vaccination rates are substantially lower in US counties that were in support of former president Donald Trump. Individuals living in counties that had a 60% or higher approval rating for Trump are three times more likely to die from Covid-19 due to the lack of inoculations. 

“We’ve got to remember, Covid is the enemy. It’s not the other people in the other political party. It’s not the people on Facebook who are posting all sorts of crazy conspiracies. This is the enemy,” Collins exclaimed. 

“We in this country have somehow gotten all fractured into a hyper-polarized, politicized view that never should have been mixed with public health. It’s been ruinous and history will judge harshly those people who have continued to defocus the effort and focus on conspiracies and things that are demonstrably false.”

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Collins also warned that with its dozens of mutations, “the omicron variant has the properties to potentially be evasive of the vaccines. I urge the 60% of Americans who are eligible for a booster shot but haven’t gotten one to take action.”

Dr. Anthony Fauci spoke to the media this week as well, explaining that the omicron variant is particularly concerning because of its “extraordinary transmissibility. It has a ‘doubling time’ of just 2-3 days. That’s the time it takes for the number of coronavirus cases to double.” 

Data from South Africa, where the omicron variant first emerged, shows that it leads to less severe symptoms and does require less hospitalization, but that could also be due to the fact that “South Africa’s population has so much experience with prior infections that it might be underlying immunity that’s making it look like it’s less severe.”

“And even if omicron does turn out to be less severe than delta, the sheer number of expected omicron infections is likely to overcome the “slight-to-moderate diminution in severity. U.S. hospitals are going to be very stressed with people,” Fauci said.

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Some Of The Most Anticipated Book Releases For Winter 2021

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With news of multiple Covid-19 vaccines being distributed, it’s only a matter of time before life begins to return to a sense of normalcy. In the meantime, it’s up to us to continue to stay home and follow all health and safety procedures until we can get vaccinated. Now that it’s winter, one of the best ways to pass the time while you wait out the rest of the pandemic this season is reading! This month a ton of new reads have been released for the new year, here are some of the titles being talked about already:

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King Of The Rising By Kacen Callender: This is the sequel to Callender’s popular novel Queen Of The Conquered, and follows former slave Loren Jannik as she leads a newly created resistance group. Together they attempt to take back their land from the Fjern; an invading group of individuals enslaving all of the island’s residents. This is the second book in Callender’s “Island of Blood and Storm” series. 

The Chicken Sisters By KJ Dell’Antonia: In Dell’Antonia’s debut novel, 35-year-old widow Amanda Moore stuns her small Kansas town by marrying Frank Pogociello. For context, Amanda has spent her whole life working for her mom at Chicken Mimi’s, but now that she married Frank, she has to start working at Chicken Frannies, which is his family’s chicken restaurant. It just so happens that the two families are also sworn enemies and each other’s biggest rivals. 

Mediocre: The Dangerous Legacy of White Male America By Ijeoma Oluo: Popularized for her novel So You Want to Talk About Race, Oluo is back with her newest book that aims to examine how privileged white men in western culture has created a dangerous environment for everyone else living in it with them. 

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The Mermaid From Jeju By Sumi Hahn: This historical fiction novel follows teenage Junja, a diver whose mother dies when they both switch places so that Junja can travel into the mountains on an important trading mission. Without her mother, and separated from the boy she loves, Junja must use all of her strength to complete this journey. 

Layla By Colleen Hoover: When Leeds girlfriend Layla is brutally attacked by his ex, he finds it difficult to save the love he once had for her as she navigates her post-traumatic stress. In order to bring back their spark, Leeds books a Bed and Breakfast getaway for them both, but when another woman begins to become the object of his affection….well, you’ll just have to read to find out.

This Is How We Fly By Anna Meriano: 17-year-old Ellen is grounded for her last summer before college, greatly derailing all of her final summer plans with her two best friends. Desperate to leave the house, Ellen joins the local Quidditch league, and as she becomes more and more involved with the game, her old friends become figures of the past. 

The Mystery of Mrs. Christie By Marie Benedict: After famous murder-mystery author Agatha Christie returns home after being missing for 11 days, she claims to have no memory of what occurred during her absence. The novel then begins to spiral down a rabbit hole of mystery and strangeness as Mrs. Christie’s journey begins to unravel. 

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Health Experts Claim Covid-19 In The US Is A ‘Humanitarian Disaster’ 

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“This is a humanitarian disaster — probably one of the worst stories I’ve covered in my career,” said CNN’s Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta said Thursday. Gupta’s comments are intense, yet unsurprising and universally accepted among health experts and scientists all throughout the country who have watched as over 10 million Americans suffered from this virus; over 280,000 Americans have now died from the coronavirus. 

Workers from Doctors Without Borders have been called upon to help the US get the pandemic under control. “I mean, this is an organization that typically covers true disasters and medical crises all over the world, and when they sort of look at a map right now and say, ‘Where do we need to be?’ they pointed to the United States. They were in nursing homes in Detroit. They went to Missouri. They’re in these different places trying to offer their services. And still, the numbers are what they are,” Gupta explained. 

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On Wednesday the US reported 1,893 Covid-19-related deaths according to data from Johns Hopkins University. Within the next two months it’s projected that 110,000 more Americans will die from the virus based on the current rate in which it’s spreading/impacting certain communities throughout the nation. 

The US has also topped 100,000 new daily infections for at least nine days in a row now. The current White House coronavirus task force warned of “accelerating community spread across the top half of the country,” in state reports distributed this week. The task force went on to state that the lack of response to these constant increases has led to the “most diffuse spread experienced to date,” comments which obviously caused them to receive a lot of backlash, considering they’re the ones who should be working on minimizing this spread, not just pointing out when it’s getting to a “humanitarian disaster” level. 

Third-party researchers are projecting conditions to really worsen in the West Coast, Northeast, and mid-Atlantic states over the next couple of months, as these have been the areas that have seen some of the biggest outbreaks within the past nine months. According to data from Hopkins in every single Midwestern state currently, Covid-19 patients are occupying more than 25% of all ICU beds, and some healthcare workers are worried for what’s going to happen when that percentage nears max capacity. Experts are especially worried that with the impending holiday season many individuals will ignore the global health crisis and continue their holiday part plans as usual. 

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“This pandemic has taken such an emotional toll, on children and seniors alike, that we suspect many families will likely take the risk of gathering.”

The holiday’s also mean college students will be returning home indefinitely until they receive updated news on what their spring semesters will look like under the new Biden administration and whatever shifts in policies he implements to further protect Americans. The thought of young students who could have been carelessly gathering in small dorm rooms coming home to their more vulnerable, older family members has many worried. 

College campuses in all 50 states have reported Covid-19 outbreaks since the fall semester began. If you have a young adult planning to make the trip home in the coming weeks, make sure you’re all taking the proper precautions and getting tested and quarantining if needed. We’re likely all about to be spending even more time with one another as the weeks progress, the pandemic worsens, and we get a new administration in the White House that’s already planning a multitude of new health and safety measures to keep us safe.

Wine Storage

Great Pandemic Gear To Improve Your Stay At Home Lifestyle This Winter 

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As we all continue to navigate the Covid-19 pandemic into the winter season, many of us are trying to prepare for the next few months of cold weather and total isolation. Considering we’ve been enduring this pandemic for nine months, many of us have already found ways to occupy all the newfound free time we have. Here are some of the most popular “pandemic supplies” that individuals throughout the country are buying in preparation for the next phase of this pandemic: 

HEPA Air Purifier: HEPA stands for high-efficiency particulate air, and is also the quality many individuals look for in the face masks they buy to ensure they are receiving the greatest amount of protection and ventilation possible. These kinds of air purifiers have become very popular throughout the pandemic as they invisibly cleanse the air of any pollutants that we may not see (Covid-19). While an air purifier alone won’t stop the spread of the coronavirus, it will greatly improve the quality of the air in your home and decrease the likelihood that any foreign bodies are remaining in the air you’re breathing. 

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Indoor Garden: As the weather really cools down many individuals with green thumbs are opting to create an indoor garden as a project to keep the summer vibes alive. Companies like Aero Garden or Rise Gardens make it easy for you to start your own indoor garden. You simply buy one, or however many you want, of their bookcase freestanding style garden boxes and begin planting. Rise Gardens specifically makes it easy for beginners by providing a supporting app that one could download on their smartphone and monitor the progression of their garden. 

Auto Starter/Power Supply: Powerful, portable, and effective are the three words used to describe the Zeus Auto Starter. Auto starters and power supplies of any kind are a necessity especially for those of us living in parts of the country that are prone to cold weather that can cause our cars to need an extra jump every once in a while. The Zeus model is one of the most popular on the market due to its long-lasting charges (which can reportedly last for months), easy-to-use indicators, and flashlight capability which helps provide full accuracy. 

Fire Pit: Just because the weather is getting colder that doesn’t mean we have to sacrifice our backyard outdoor social distance gatherings. Investing in a small fire pit can keep all the barbecue, outdoor grilling, patio party vibes alive into the winter months. The best part is now there are a multitude of smaller fire pits on the market that allow for yards of almost any size to get a lot cozier in the winter months. 

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Indoor BBQ Grill: If you don’t have a yard space of any kind, but also want to keep the summer backyard barbecue vibes alive in the winter months, a nice and easy solution is investing in an indoor barbecue grill. While this may not be anywhere close to the actual experience of grilling on the back patio on a warm July afternoon, it’s pretty close. Many models include detachable pieces to make the clean up even easier as well. 

Wine Storage: For those of you who like to indulge in a glass of wine on a cold winter evening as the snow gently falls outside, isn’t it high time you get a storage system that will properly keep all your favorite beverages. Wine fridges or cabinets not only keep beverages of any kind perfectly cool, but they also add a sleek and modern design element to any space. If you’re not someone who likes to drink alcohol, buying a beverage fridge and displaying your favorite soft drink has also been a huge interior design trend in terms of adding a personal, and symmetrical, touch to your space. 

Sterilizer: We’ve all become all too familiar with using antibacterial/alcohol wipes, sprays, and sanitizers to keep ourselves, and the many surfaces throughout our homes that are touched constantly, clean. While current evidence shows that it’s unnecessary for us to wipe down every grocery or package we receive, it’s still important to make sure we’re wiping down the other areas in our home, even if it is just for our peace of mind. Electric/UV LED disinfection devices have grown a lot in popularity due to their simplicity and lack of chemicals. Using things like UV flashlights or boxes, individuals can quickly disinfect utensils, glassware, cellphones, towels, water bottles, and more!

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How To Start Planning For The Long, Cold, Covid-19 Winter Now 

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While the Covid-19 pandemic has truly turned all of our lives upside-down, the one slight perk has been the fact that the weather has been so nice for the past eight months, allowing us to still see our loved ones and do certain activities in outdoor socially distanced settings. Now that it’s officially fall many of us are remembering that in a month the clocks go back and the cold months of winter will begin. 

Instead of sitting around and dreading the inevitable until it gets here, start planning out things that you and your quarantine families can do together when the weather gets colder. Seasonal depression, or seasonal effective disorder, can add a whole other layer of stress to our already busy and frantic lives in the middle of an apocalyptic year, but it doesn’t have to be scary.

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Start by asking yourself what you personally need to get through the next few months as happily and healthily as possible. Do you need to make some plans ahead of time? Will you need to gather supplies of some sort for certain snow day activities? Think of some general things that will make the upcoming winter more bearable and work from there. 

For example, if I knew that I would need to be able to see my friends every other week or so to still feel like a real social person, I would then begin to think of certain winter group activities that can be done outdoors. Going for winter hikes during the day is a great way to stay connected to your loved ones while remaining distanced. Enjoy the winter scenery during the day while the sun reflects the beautiful landscapes that come with the colder months.

Another way to see your friends without putting your health at risk is committing to weekly Zoom or Google Hangout happy hour type events. Regardless of if you drink or not, having a scheduled day of the week and time to talk to your friends is necessary for all of us. Try scheduling it for the end of the work week so that you all can unwind, and enjoy each other’s virtual company. 

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Throughout the entire pandemic people have been using their time in lockdown to learn a new skill, practice a new hobby, and work on any other passions they’ve been procrastinating due to the stresses of everyday life. Well, now that winter will really be forcing us all to stay indoors in the coming months, there’s never been a better time to learn something new and keep your mind stimulated. 

Learning a new language, or how to to cook, bake, knit, write poetry, etc. are all amazing stimulants for the mind, body, and soul, and will leave you with an overall accomplished feeling. Watching yourself go from beginner to expert at something even as simple as learning to bake a cake, is rewarding, and I think we all could use some of that positivity right now. 

While travelling is pretty much the last thing on most of our minds, there are still loopholes in working out how to vacation during a pandemic. For example, AirBnb has implemented a whole slew of new health and safety procedures for all participants involved to ensure that guests can still travel during the pandemic without any major risks. Hotels have also implemented these policies, so if you find yourself needing a break from your home, book something today for a few months into the future when you’ll really need a break.

Finally, it’s important to remember that winter also equates to another holiday season. Regardless of what you celebrate, you can’t deny there’s a positive, cheerful, and giving attitude in the air during the holidays. Don’t let Covid-19 stop you and your loved ones from celebrating at home and getting into the spirit of the season. Decorate, watch cheesy Lifetime movies, bake traditional desserts, make some snowmen, and just take a breath to enjoy the fact that you’re with the people you love.

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Is Blue Monday a Myth?

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After the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, there never seems to be much to look forward to in January – especially Blue Monday, known for being the “most depressing day of the year.” This cheery title is given to the third Monday of the first month, which this year falls on the 20th, and is taken on with glee by marketing companies across the globe. But while January may not be your favorite part of the year, that doesn’t necessarily mean there is any truth to the Blue Monday theory.

So what are the perceived “reasons” for Blue Monday? After the excitement of the holiday season, many people are now fully back in the swing of normality with no escape from the office anytime soon. The weather’s cold and dark, you may well be fighting off a cold, you may be short on money, having spent it all on gifts last month and whatever was left has been spent in the January sales, so you can’t afford to cheer yourself up with some retail therapy. You may have already given up on your resolutions and you’re now feeling guilty, sounds cheerful, right?

These all seem like reasonably notable factors, but it is fair to say each variable can change dramatically from person to person. For example, the weather varies a lot around the planet, one individual may have done a better job of planning their finances than another, and many people maintain their New Years resolutions well past January.

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In reality, Blue Monday has no real factual basis. The term was originally used in relation to the first month of the year by psychologist Cliff Arnall in 2005, as part of a marketing campaign for now defunct Sky Travel – the idea was to sell more vacations by encouraging people to avoid the “blues” by planning a new adventure instead. The intention was never to make people feel depressed about what is, in reality, a fairly arbitrary date, but instead to inspire them to book a trip and have something to look forward to.

There may be an unintended, damaging side effect of the Blue Monday concept as well. With so much talk about how January as a whole is “depressing”, it has been noted that some individuals that already struggle with low mood may find their symptoms worsening – almost as if they are “expected” to feel grim and gloomy about the date in question. Many people worry about the buildup to Blue Monday, and may find themselves putting in extra effort to get through the day, or feeling pressured to act a certain. The combination of a number of negative factors along with an anticipation of pessimism have, for some, turned Blue Monday into a day to be feared.

Since 2005, Blue Monday has evolved from a run-of-the-mill marketing promotion, to becoming an established piece of the modern cultural lexicon. Today, Blue Monday strikes a curious balance – for some, it’s simply a gloomy day in an unexciting month, for other it provides new reasons for people to talk about mental health, and for a number of businesses it provides fresh marketing opportunities just after the holidays.

Whether there is any truth behind the Blue Monday theory or not, it’s safe to say that January can be quite a struggle for many people. So what can you do to stay positive in the most miserable month of the year?

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Take inspiration from the source
Since Blue Monday was originally conceived as a marketing opportunity for a travel company, there’s no reason why it couldn’t still have the desired effect. By booking even a small vacation you will give yourself something exciting to spend your time looking forward to, and you can easily distract yourself with all the planning.

Make a charitable donation
Donations don’t have to be financial – in fact, almost anything can be donated. It’s likely that your home is looking a bit more cluttered after the holiday season, but this provides you with the perfect opportunity to give the things you no longer need to someone that might find a better use for them. The positive feeling that comes with helping others is sure to brighten up a gloomy month.

Learn a new skill
Even if you missed out on making a New Years Resolution, it doesn’t mean you can’t find an excuse to try something new. Taking on a new challenge and achieving goals will give you a sense of triumph and positivity, whilst also keeping you busy during the quieter months.

Reconnect with an old friend
With the busy Holiday season out of the way, January is the perfect excuse to catch up with friends in a more relaxed environment and with time to socialize. Plus, it may not just be you that is feeling low this month – by reaching out to someone you haven’t spoken to in a while, you could help to perk up their month as well.

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Record Low Temperatures And Snowstorms Reported Across The U.S.

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This Tuesday, November 12th, America is falling victim to one of the biggest nation-wide Arctic blasts we’ve seen in years. According to USA Today over 200 million Americans all across the country are struggling to face the freezing forecast and endure the giant mass of Arctic air moving across the states. It’s been reported that thousands of flights were canceled leaving many stranded, and other areas have seen more than a foot of snow in their neighborhoods already! It’s surely looking like it’s going to be a white Christmas if winter continues at this intense rate.

The Arctic Air mass began in the West and freezing cold temperatures have been reported from the Canadian border all the way down to the Southernmost tip of Texas, as the mass continues to move and hit the East Coast later Tuesday evening. Chicago saw the beginning of the blast when they woke up this morning to temperatures in the single digits and half a foot of snow. The National Weather Service first reported in Chicago and warned citizens that the combination of the freezing temperature and intense wind patterns will be causing wind chills to hit below zero, and to stay indoors as much as they can. 

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Detroit also made headlines in the morning with their record breaking cold temperatures for this time of year, and for a record 10 inches of snow blanketing the city. These extreme conditions have caused a massive spike in highway accidents to occur, and is delaying all flights a minimum of three hours, (USA Today). Other parts of the country that have seen record breaking winter conditions with this blast include Michigan, which some parts of reported over thirty inches of snow! Parts of Maine saw over two feet and Wisconsin has been cruising at a steady nine degrees for the past 12 days, and has beat its own record for amount of snow during this time of year three consecutive days in a row (USA). Overall, it’s looking like one of the coldest harshest winters the country has seen in awhile, is just beginning. 

These parts of America, however, are used to seeing pretty harsh winter conditions early in the season every year. What’s surprising is the areas of the South that are seeing the same type of conditions occurring. Areas of Texas just 60 miles from the Mexican border saw freezing temperatures and a few inches of snow this morning. 

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“Wednesday will be colder for many from the Great Lakes to the Northeast and down all the way into Florida. You are talking single digits in Chicago, Indianapolis, Detroit. Atlanta will see the mid-20s. Low 20s in Birmingham, some other parts of Alabama. We will be challenging records everywhere. More snow and cold are on the way. More than 200 million people will be freezing between Tuesday through Thursday. The snow isn’t done yet, either. The cold will continue to shift south and east into Wednesday, finally encompassing more than half of the country,”  AccuWeather meteorologist Tyler Roys said to USA Today.

Accuweather predicts more than 300 daily temperature records can be broken by this Thursday, meaning for this time of the year, it will be the coldest it’s ever been in recorded history for parts of the country. The extreme weather is related to the polar vortex, that many are affected by every winter. The polar vortex is a large mass of freezing cold air that sits high in our atmosphere and typically spins over the northernmost part of the planet (The North Pole). However, in some specific cases the vortex drifts south and when it makes that journey it lowers in the atmosphere, distributing cold air and thus harsh winter conditions across the country.