The arctic cold wave in the United States: at least 5 deaths and a thermal sensation of -50 degrees Celsius

The extreme cold storm that has already killed at least 5 people this week in United States today brings temperatures of North Pole in the center-west of the country, where there are cities like Duluth, Minnesota, that are suffering a thermal sensation of 58 degrees Fahrenheit below zero (-50 degrees Celsius).

The cold snap that has arrived today and will continue over the next few hours has paralyzed major cities in the region, recording minimum temperatures of 20 degrees Fahrenheit below zero (-28 degrees Celsius), such as Chicago , where live 2.7 million people. of people.

"These are very dangerous conditions and can cause Gel on exposed skin in just five minutes when the values ​​of the thermal sensation are below -50 ", warned the National Meteorological Service." The best thing to do is to limit your time to the outside. "

But these low temperatures are aggravated by the wind, which further reduces the thermal sensation, falling to 50 below zero (-46 degrees Celsius), in the third most populous city in the United States.

J.B. Pritzker, the governor of Illinois, where Chicago is based, said Tuesday a disaster zone in anticipation of the "serious threat to health" posed by these "potentially historic temperatures".

In some areas of the state, temperatures lower than those in Alaska were recorded and thermal sensations of 50 degrees Fahrenheit below zero (-46 degrees Celsius) were experienced at the airport International O & # 39; Hare.

In that airport, 1,325 flights were canceled, compared with 326 in Midway's neighbor, according to the Chicago Aviation Department, a city that should be the epicenter of this cold snap, which may cause an almost instant freeze

The postal service and the traffic by several sections of railway lines have also had to be suspended today in the region because of the intense cold.

In the same state of Illinois, the Westchester City police jokingly called the city's criminals to stay home because it was "too cold to commit crimes".

The cold has even forced to suspend the postal service in a vast region.

Many normal activities have been suspended and residents have stayed at home, while the National Weather Service predicts a temperature collapse due to one of the largest cold air mbades in years. The intense cold results from a division of the polar vortex that allowed temperatures to drop further south than normal.

A 70-year-old man appeared to be frozen in Detroit today, local police said, without specifying how far the cold had touched the city of Michigan, with a thermal sensation of about 20 degrees Fahrenheit beneath it. zero (-30 degrees Celsius), C was the cause of death.

His death is added to that of a man who died last weekend in Minnesota for not being able to enter his home because he lost the keys, to three other people in road accidents caused by the weather conditions and by an individual. Milwaukee who fell while he was shoveling snow.