"Life-threatening explosion in the Arctic" burst into the Midwest, retreating to the eastern United States: NPR

On Sunday, people huddle up against the cold in downtown Chicago. Forecasters have warned of dangerous weather conditions in parts of the United States in the coming days.

Nam Y. Huh / AP

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Nam Y. Huh / AP

On Sunday, people huddle up against the cold in downtown Chicago. Forecasters have warned of dangerous weather conditions in part of the US in the coming days.

Nam Y. Huh / AP

The National Weather Service reports that cold, heavy snow and howling winds are breaking records. It is the memory of one of the coldest Arctic air masses to hit the country of recent memory, according to the agency, which predicts harsh conditions in areas ranging from the Upper Midwest to many states of the world. 'Is.

Alert on a "Very Dangerous and Potentially Fatal: Explosion in the Arctic," the Weather Service predicts that the next few days may experience "record lows and very low maximum temperatures from the Upper Midwest to the Great Lakes and to the Ohio Valley ".

Authorities also warn of horrible road conditions and road conditions, high temperatures who stay at a level and wind chills that go down well below zero.

In Michigan, Governor Gretchen Whitmer declared the state of emergency urging people to limit the time they spend to be exposed to the elements and to monitor The well-being. children, older neighbors and pets. His office advised people to let water run through vulnerable pipes to prevent them from freezing – and to set the thermostat at the same temperature night and day.

"Our priority is to ensure the safety of the Michigandans during this period of extremely cold temperatures," said Whitmer.

An icy climate has already begun to affect the Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Florida. 39, Illinois It is expected to spread to the eastern United States in the coming days, forcing residents and businesses, governments, and schools to adapt to extremely cold temperatures.

Wisconsin could post wind chill values ​​between minus 30 and minus 50 degrees, said Gov. Tony Evers by declaring the state of emergency in his state Monday afternoon.

"When & # 039; It's so cold, no one should be outside except Douglas Brunette, an emergency physician at Hennepin Healthcare, told Minnesota Public Radio.

"Stay indoors," said Brunette, warning of increased risks of frostbite and hypothermia. "Do not defy nature."

Further east, in Buffalo, NY, the public school district of the city canceled classes for Wednesday and Thursday and ordered the school staff to stay at home, invoking the "heavy" forecasts. effect lake, snow, winds and extreme cold. "Other neighboring districts had similar projects, as reported by WBFO member station.

A winter weather advisory came into effect Tuesday at 4 am in Baltimore, where health officials said an emergency situation "blue code" until Friday morning. "This designation encourages agencies to offer free meals to seniors, to encourage homeless people to seek shelter and to help residents to apply for help for utility bills, "said The Baltimore Sun.

Tuesday, more than 1,800 flights had been canceled and more than 8,000 had been delayed.

According to the Bureau of personnel management, federal officials from the Washington, DC area were allowed to depart two hours earlier.

In the southeast, perilous weather forecasts prompted Delta Air Lines to cancel 170 Departure from Atlanta on Tuesday Susanna Capelouto, of the WABE member station, said it was a preventative measure and that travelers would be allowed to change their flight without penalty.

"It's the week of the Super Bowl in Atlanta, so a possible snow forecast late this morning has governments closing for the day," reports Capelouto for NPR. "The icy weather is taken seriously here, because just five years ago, thousands of motorists were stranded on highways after a mid-day snowfall."

At approximately 1 pm ET, the Office of the National Meteorological Service of Atlanta canceled its winter weather advisory for the counties of northern Georgia, but warned that ice patches could always pose a threat.

Alabama's governor, Kay Ivey, declared the state of emergency in all the counties of his state Monday, long before the shock of the storm. As the WBHM member station reports, many school systems and city and county offices have since been closed due to snow forecasts.

"Because of extreme cold weather and heavy snow, all crimes and all things really stupid were canceled until further notice," said Priceville Police Department, Alabama , in an article published on Facebook.