More than 60 people have been killed as the Arctic blast-induced bone-chilling cold continues to sweep through several US states. Forecasters, on Saturday (Jan 20) warned&nbsp;that the freezing air will linger across much of the country&nbsp;over the weekend.&nbsp;

<h2>Deadly Arctic freeze continues</h2>

Two weeks of rain, snow, wind and sub-zero temperatures leading to power outages and icy roads have been blamed for at least 61 deaths across the US, reported NBC News on Saturday (Jan 20).&nbsp;

WATCH |&nbsp;US Winter Storms: Biden hosts mayors conference amid extreme weather conditions

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The death toll rose from 55, reported on Friday (Jan 19) after emergency services in the US state of Mississippi announced two more deaths. The total number of deaths in the state rose to eight, on Saturday (Jan 20) and have been attributed to road conditions and extreme cold.

“Frostbite and hypothermia are likely with prolonged outdoor exposure,” emergency officials in Mississippi said Saturday. Many of the deaths have been reported in the US states of Tennessee and Oregon.

At least 19 of the deaths occurred in Tennessee, a southern state which was largely unprepared for such extreme cold conditions. Meanwhile, at least nine deaths occurred in Oregon.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-braces-for-more-brutal-weather-55-dead-after-coldest-air-of-this-winter-681621">US braces for more brutal weather; 55 dead after coldest air of this winter</a>

Many deaths were also attributed to hypothermia and dangerous icy road conditions.

<h2>Situation across various US states</h2>

On Saturday, residents of Northern California were&nbsp;expected to witness heavy rains. Meanwhile, residents in parts of the US states of Michigan, Indiana and Illinois will also reportedly see more snow.&nbsp;

This comes as parts of Indiana saw as much as 32 inches of snow on Friday (Jan 19). Over 400,000 customers of Memphis Light, Gas &amp; Water were affected by the recent outages and water shortages.&nbsp;

Oregon’s governor declared a statewide emergency Thursday night, nearly a week after the start of a crippling ice storm. Thousands in the state’s Willamette Valley have been without power due to freezing rain.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-military-personnel-injured-after-ballistic-missile-attack-by-iran-backed-militants-on-airbase-in-iraq-681950">US military personnel injured after ballistic missile attack by Iran-backed militants on airbase in Iraq</a>

About 90,000 people remained without electricity as of Friday afternoon in the state after back-to-back storms, according to poweroutage.us. Public schools in the&nbsp;city of Portland cancelled classes for four days straight amid concerns about icy roads and water damage to buildings.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, people in several other states were forced to boil water to unfreeze pipes or simply for drinking and bathing.

The National Weather Service has indicated that Americans can expect some respite from the bone-chilling cold in the upcoming days. With “no additional replenishment of Arctic air from Canada,” a “steady warm-up” is forecast for the middle of the country starting Sunday (Jan 21).&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

More than 60 people have been killed as the Arctic blast-induced bone-chilling cold continues to sweep through several US states. Forecasters, on Saturday (Jan 20) warned that the freezing air will linger across much of the country over the weekend.

More than 60 people have been killed as the Arctic blast-induced bone-chilling cold continues to sweep through several US states. Forecasters, on Saturday (Jan 20) warned that the freezing air will linger across much of the country over the weekend. Deadly Arctic freeze continues Two weeks of rain, snow, wind and sub-zero temperatures leading to power outages and icy roads have been blamed for at least 61 deaths across the US, reported NBC News on Saturday (Jan 20). WATCH | US Winter Storms: Biden hosts mayors conference amid extreme weather conditions The death toll rose from 55, reported on Friday (Jan 19) after emergency services in the US state of Mississippi announced two more deaths. The total number of deaths in the state rose to eight, on Saturday (Jan 20) and have been attributed to road conditions and extreme cold. “Frostbite and hypothermia are likely with prolonged outdoor exposure,” emergency officials in Mississippi said Saturday. Many of the deaths have been reported in the US states of Tennessee and Oregon. At least 19 of the deaths occurred in Tennessee, a southern state which was largely unprepared for such extreme cold conditions. Meanwhile, at least nine deaths occurred in Oregon. ALSO READ | US braces for more brutal weather; 55 dead after coldest air of this winter Many deaths were also attributed to hypothermia and dangerous icy road conditions. Situation across various US states On Saturday, residents of Northern California were expected to witness heavy rains. Meanwhile, residents in parts of the US states of Michigan, Indiana and Illinois will also reportedly see more snow. This comes as parts of Indiana saw as much as 32 inches of snow on Friday (Jan 19). Over 400,000 customers of Memphis Light, Gas & Water were affected by the recent outages and water shortages. Oregon’s governor declared a statewide emergency Thursday night, nearly a week after the start of a crippling ice storm. Thousands in the state’s Willamette Valley have been without power due to freezing rain. ALSO READ | US military personnel injured after ballistic missile attack by Iran-backed militants on airbase in Iraq About 90,000 people remained without electricity as of Friday afternoon in the state after back-to-back storms, according to poweroutage.us. Public schools in the city of Portland cancelled classes for four days straight amid concerns about icy roads and water damage to buildings. Meanwhile, people in several other states were forced to boil water to unfreeze pipes or simply for drinking and bathing. The National Weather Service has indicated that Americans can expect some respite from the bone-chilling cold in the upcoming days. With “no additional replenishment of Arctic air from Canada,” a “steady warm-up” is forecast for the middle of the country starting Sunday (Jan 21). (With inputs from agencies)

US winter storm: More than 60 killed, millions affected by 'bone-chilling cold' amid Arctic blast

The dangerous Arctic blast which is sweeping through most parts of the United States and bringing record-low temperatures is expected to continue&nbsp;on Monday (Jan 15) and linger through at least midweek, reported the Associated Press. The deep freeze has covered large parts of the US with freezing temperatures reaching as far as the southern state of Florida.&nbsp;

<h2>At least four killed amid sub-zero temperatures</h2>

According to the National Weather Service (NWS), the cold winds are expected to push temperatures 30 degrees below zero from the Northern Rockies to the northern US state of Kansas and into Iowa.&nbsp;

So far, at least four people have been killed due to record-low temperatures, which have also left tens of thousands of houses in the Northwest. Around 100 trees toppled over the weekend in an area near Portland, Oregon, one of which fell on a house and killed a man.&nbsp;

WATCH |&nbsp;US: Extreme weather and swathes of snow freezes Iowa Caucus campaigning

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Two others, according to the AP, died of suspected hypothermia. A fourth person reportedly died of a fire that spread from an open-flame stove after a tree fell onto an RV.&nbsp;

The temperatures plunged 50 degrees below zero in the US states of Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota.&nbsp;

According to the NWS, an estimated 95 million people were under weather warnings or advisories for wind chills of -17 degrees Celsius. On Sunday (Jan 14), over 700 flights travelling within, or in or out of the US were cancelled, reported FlightAware.&nbsp;

Arkansas governor, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, declared a state of emergency ahead of the severe weather. This comes as snow, sleet and freezing rain are expected across several states, including Arkansas, Texas, and Louisiana.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/change-in-strategy-and-unperturbed-voters-how-trump-has-pulled-ahead-in-iowa-caucuses-680051">Change in strategy and unperturbed voters: How Trump has pulled ahead in Iowa caucuses</a>

In the US state of Oregon, more than 120,000 homes and businesses were without electricity with most of them in Portland, reported AP. This was after the state witnessed a day of high winds and a mix of snow and ice which brought down trees and power lines.

<h2>Iowa caucus and&nbsp;NFL play-offs disrupted</h2>

Voters are set to venture into sub-zero temperatures to kick off the US Republican presidential nomination race with the Iowa caucuses. After several rounds of debates, Iowans will cast the first votes in the 2024 presidential nomination process, on Monday (Jan 15).

The voting process is set to be marked by blizzards and a potential wind chill in some areas of the state is expected to plunge to -38 degrees Celsius or colder.&nbsp;

According to the Des Moines Register/NBC News/Mediacom poll released on Saturday night, former US president Donald Trump was leading in the state with 48 per cent votes.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-claims-it-shot-down-anti-ship-cruise-missile-from-houthi-area-of-yemen-targeting-uss-laboon-679991">US claims it shot down anti-ship cruise missile from Houthi area of Yemen targeting USS Laboon</a>

On Saturday night (Jan 13), the Kansas City Chiefs and Miami Dolphins played the fourth-coldest game in NFL history.&nbsp;

Photos and videos from the game have since gone viral with frozen beers, Chiefs’ player Travis Kelce’s head steaming during the game and a clip showing a bottle of water turning to ice when it was taken out of the fridge.&nbsp;

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Time to ball. <a href="https://t.co/bTtCpJQgET">pic.twitter.com/bTtCpJQgET</a>
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A little chilly at Arrowhead tonight <a href="https://t.co/FMw7DLBXqF">pic.twitter.com/FMw7DLBXqF</a>
— Mr. Brendan Marquart (@FloNoFro) <a href="https://twitter.com/FloNoFro/status/1746316152203084201?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 13, 2024</a></blockquote>
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The wild-card playoff game was marked by a temperature of -20 degrees Celsius and wind gusts up to 27 mph, shattering the record for the coldest game in Arrowhead Stadium history.&nbsp;

The blizzard conditions have also led to the postponement of the game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Buffalo Bills NFL playoff game hosted in bone-chilling Buffalo, New York.

(With inputs from agencies)

The dangerous Arctic blast which is sweeping through most parts of the United States and bringing record-low temperatures is expected to continue on Monday (Jan 15) and linger through at least midweek, reported the Associated Press.

The dangerous Arctic blast which is sweeping through most parts of the United States and bringing record-low temperatures is expected to continue on Monday (Jan 15) and linger through at least midweek, reported the Associated Press. The deep freeze has covered large parts of the US with freezing temperatures reaching as far as the southern state of Florida. At least four killed amid sub-zero temperatures According to the National Weather Service (NWS), the cold winds are expected to push temperatures 30 degrees below zero from the Northern Rockies to the northern US state of Kansas and into Iowa. So far, at least four people have been killed due to record-low temperatures, which have also left tens of thousands of houses in the Northwest. Around 100 trees toppled over the weekend in an area near Portland, Oregon, one of which fell on a house and killed a man. WATCH | US: Extreme weather and swathes of snow freezes Iowa Caucus campaigning Two others, according to the AP, died of suspected hypothermia. A fourth person reportedly died of a fire that spread from an open-flame stove after a tree fell onto an RV. The temperatures plunged 50 degrees below zero in the US states of Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota. According to the NWS, an estimated 95 million people were under weather warnings or advisories for wind chills of -17 degrees Celsius. On Sunday (Jan 14), over 700 flights travelling within, or in or out of the US were cancelled, reported FlightAware. Arkansas governor, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, declared a state of emergency ahead of the severe weather. This comes as snow, sleet and freezing rain are expected across several states, including Arkansas, Texas, and Louisiana. ALSO READ | Change in strategy and unperturbed voters: How Trump has pulled ahead in Iowa caucuses In the US state of Oregon, more than 120,000 homes and businesses were without electricity with most of them in Portland, reported AP. This was after the state witnessed a day of high winds and a mix of snow and ice which brought down trees and power lines. Iowa caucus and NFL play-offs disrupted Voters are set to venture into sub-zero temperatures to kick off the US Republican presidential nomination race with the Iowa caucuses. After several rounds of debates, Iowans will cast the first votes in the 2024 presidential nomination process, on Monday (Jan 15). The voting process is set to be marked by blizzards and a potential wind chill in some areas of the state is expected to plunge to -38 degrees Celsius or colder. According to the Des Moines Register/NBC News/Mediacom poll released on Saturday night, former US president Donald Trump was leading in the state with 48 per cent votes. ALSO READ | US claims it shot down anti-ship cruise missile from Houthi area of Yemen targeting USS Laboon On Saturday night (Jan 13), the Kansas City Chiefs and Miami Dolphins played the fourth-coldest game in NFL history. Photos and videos from the game have since gone viral with frozen beers, Chiefs’ player Travis Kelce’s head steaming during the game and a clip showing a bottle of water turning to ice when it was taken out of the fridge. Time to ball. pic.twitter.com/bTtCpJQgET — Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) January 14, 2024 × A little chilly at Arrowhead tonight pic.twitter.com/FMw7DLBXqF — Mr. Brendan Marquart (@FloNoFro) January 13, 2024 × The wild-card playoff game was marked by a temperature of -20 degrees Celsius and wind gusts up to 27 mph, shattering the record for the coldest game in Arrowhead Stadium history. The blizzard conditions have also led to the postponement of the game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Buffalo Bills NFL playoff game hosted in bone-chilling Buffalo, New York. (With inputs from agencies)

US winter storm: Millions face below-zero temperatures amid dangerous Arctic freeze

Frigid weather that paralysed a large swath of the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/snow-wallops-us-midwest-as-it-braces-for-extreme-cold-193757">United States this week and caused</a> at least 21 deaths began easing on Friday as an Arctic air mass pulled away, setting the stage for a warmer weekend in the midwest and the northeast.

Temperatures from southern <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/arctic-freeze-spreads-in-us-minnesota-upper-michigan-north-dakota-face-brutal-icy-conditions-194178">New England to the Upper Midwest </a>should reach the mid-40s to low 50s Fahrenheit through the weekend and Monday, forecasters said, after a record-breaking cold snap that stopped mail deliveries in some parts of the midwest and shuttered schools and businesses.

In Chicago, which experienced temperatures as low as minus 22F (minus 30 Celsius) earlier this week, temperatures of 19F (-7C) on Friday morning felt positively balmy as a measure of normalcy returned to the nation's third-largest city.

"It feels like summer," said Dolores Marek, 57, as she got off her commuter train in Chicago wearing a long parka coat as set out on the 1.5 mile-(2.4 km) walk to the local college where she works. "This is much better than it was."

Meteorologists linked the spell of brutal cold to the so-called polar vortex, a cap of icy air that usually swirls over the North Pole. Changing air currents caused it to slip down through Canada and into the US midwest this week.

Bryan Jackson, a National Weather Service meteorologist, said the core of the vortex was pulling north into eastern Canada, though residual icy air was still pushing over to the US northeast.

Temperatures on Friday morning ranged from below zero Fahrenheit to the teens in parts of New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and New Jersey. The Washington D.C. area, which had 20F (minus 7C) temperatures, was under a winter weather advisory until the afternoon as around one inch (2.5 cm) of snowfall accumulated during the morning.

"That cold air that was over the Great Lakes, over the midwest, has shifted off. Now the high pressure is over Pennsylvania and New York," Jackson said in a phone interview.

"As it moves east, it'll bring in air from the south and we do expect it to warm up over the weekend."

Rachel Liao, 29, a student at the New School in New York, said she wished classes had been cancelled due to the cold.

"I just want to stay inside," Liao, a New York native, said. "I'm not used to this."

Temperatures in the Upper Midwest, including Illinois, Indiana and Ohio, will reach well above zero F (minus 18C) on Friday, with highs making it into the teens and low 20s.

Even so, parts of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan and Iowa were still experiencing temperatures in the negative single digits, Jackson said.

The lowest temperature recorded early Friday morning was minus 34F (minus 37C) in Stonington, Michigan, according to the National Weather Service.

By Saturday, highs will be in the 30s and even low 40s in the Midwest. The central Plains will be in the low 60s, nearly 20 to 25 degrees above normal, the weather service said.

More than 40 cold-temperature records were broken on Thursday, the coldest morning since the polar vortex moved in late on Tuesday. The mass of Arctic air had clung to a swath of the United States from Iowa and the Dakotas across the Great Lakes region and into Maine for days.

Officials across multiple states linked at least 20 deaths to the deep freeze. The death toll rose after at least nine more people in Chicago were reported to have died from cold-related injuries, according to Stathis Poulakidas, a doctor at the city's John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital.

Amtrak train services that had been halted since Wednesday in Chicago's hub resumed on Friday, as did US&nbsp;postal service that was halted or limited in six Midwest states.

Thousands of flights were cancelled and delayed earlier in the week, mostly out of Chicago, but on Friday the flight-tracking site FlightAware reported cancellations in the United States down to more than 400.

Frigid weather that paralysed a large swath of the United States this week and caused at least 21 deaths began easing on Friday as an Arctic air mass pulled away, setting the stage for a warmer weekend in the midwest and the northeast.

Frigid weather that paralysed a large swath of the United States this week and caused at least 21 deaths began easing on Friday as an Arctic air mass pulled away, setting the stage for a warmer weekend in the midwest and the northeast. Temperatures from southern New England to the Upper Midwest should reach the mid-40s to low 50s Fahrenheit through the weekend and Monday, forecasters said, after a record-breaking cold snap that stopped mail deliveries in some parts of the midwest and shuttered schools and businesses. In Chicago, which experienced temperatures as low as minus 22F (minus 30 Celsius) earlier this week, temperatures of 19F (-7C) on Friday morning felt positively balmy as a measure of normalcy returned to the nation's third-largest city. "It feels like summer," said Dolores Marek, 57, as she got off her commuter train in Chicago wearing a long parka coat as set out on the 1.5 mile-(2.4 km) walk to the local college where she works. "This is much better than it was." Meteorologists linked the spell of brutal cold to the so-called polar vortex, a cap of icy air that usually swirls over the North Pole. Changing air currents caused it to slip down through Canada and into the US midwest this week. Bryan Jackson, a National Weather Service meteorologist, said the core of the vortex was pulling north into eastern Canada, though residual icy air was still pushing over to the US northeast. Temperatures on Friday morning ranged from below zero Fahrenheit to the teens in parts of New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and New Jersey. The Washington D.C. area, which had 20F (minus 7C) temperatures, was under a winter weather advisory until the afternoon as around one inch (2.5 cm) of snowfall accumulated during the morning. "That cold air that was over the Great Lakes, over the midwest, has shifted off. Now the high pressure is over Pennsylvania and New York," Jackson said in a phone interview. "As it moves east, it'll bring in air from the south and we do expect it to warm up over the weekend." Rachel Liao, 29, a student at the New School in New York, said she wished classes had been cancelled due to the cold. "I just want to stay inside," Liao, a New York native, said. "I'm not used to this." Temperatures in the Upper Midwest, including Illinois, Indiana and Ohio, will reach well above zero F (minus 18C) on Friday, with highs making it into the teens and low 20s. Even so, parts of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan and Iowa were still experiencing temperatures in the negative single digits, Jackson said. The lowest temperature recorded early Friday morning was minus 34F (minus 37C) in Stonington, Michigan, according to the National Weather Service. By Saturday, highs will be in the 30s and even low 40s in the Midwest. The central Plains will be in the low 60s, nearly 20 to 25 degrees above normal, the weather service said. More than 40 cold-temperature records were broken on Thursday, the coldest morning since the polar vortex moved in late on Tuesday. The mass of Arctic air had clung to a swath of the United States from Iowa and the Dakotas across the Great Lakes region and into Maine for days. Officials across multiple states linked at least 20 deaths to the deep freeze. The death toll rose after at least nine more people in Chicago were reported to have died from cold-related injuries, according to Stathis Poulakidas, a doctor at the city's John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital. Amtrak train services that had been halted since Wednesday in Chicago's hub resumed on Friday, as did US postal service that was halted or limited in six Midwest states. Thousands of flights were cancelled and delayed earlier in the week, mostly out of Chicago, but on Friday the flight-tracking site FlightAware reported cancellations in the United States down to more than 400.

Icy blast begins to ease in US midwest and northeast

The blast of Arctic air that brought <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/deep-freeze-grips-us-midwest-blamed-for-at-least-12-deaths-193996">record-breaking cold</a>, causing at least a dozen deaths and cancelling or delaying thousands of flights in the US&nbsp;Midwest, spread eastward on Thursday, bringing frigid misery to the Northeast.

A forecast for warmer weather by the weekend offered little comfort to those <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/deep-freeze-grips-us-midwest-blamed-for-at-least-eight-deaths-193960">enduring icy conditions</a>, brutal winds and temperatures as low as minus 30 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 34 Celsius).

"This morning is some of the coldest of the temperatures across the Upper Midwest, and we still have some dangerous wind chills," Andrew Orrison, a forecaster for the National Weather Service, said in a phone interview.

In Minnesota and Upper Michigan, temperatures will be at minus 20F (minus 29C) on Thursday and parts of North Dakota can expect minus 30F, forecasters warned.

The bitter cold was caused by displacement of the polar vortex, a stream of air that normally spins around the stratosphere over the North Pole but whose current was disrupted. It pushed eastward and states including Massachusetts, New York and Pennsylvania experienced bitterly cold temperatures. The overnight low in Boston was at minus 5F (minus 21C), according to the National Weather Service.

"This morning is the worst of the worst in terms of the cold," Orrison said. "It'll be the coldest outbreak of Arctic air (so far this winter) for the Mid-Atlantic and the Northeast."

It has been more than 20 years since a similar Arctic blast covered a swath of the Midwest and Northeast, according to the weather service.

The cold has caused at least 12 deaths since Saturday across the Midwest, according to officials and news media reports. Some died in weather-related traffic accidents, others from apparent exposure to the elements.

Videos this week showed boiling water freezing as it was tossed in the air in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and transit workers in Chicago setting fire to train tracks to keep them from locking up.

Even parts of the South, such as the mountains of Kentucky, Tennessee and upper Georgia, will be in the single digits, the weather service said.

More than 30 record lows were shattered across the Midwest. Some areas only saw a high of minus 10F (minus 23F) on Wednesday.

The lowest temperature recorded that day was minus 40F (minus 40C) in International Falls, Minnesota, just south of Canada. The city, dubbed the "Icebox of the Nation," saw temperatures drop another 5 degrees F early on Thursday.

U.S. homes and businesses used record amounts of natural gas for heating on Wednesday, according to preliminary results from financial data provider Refinitiv.

But the picture was set to change. By the weekend, Chicago, which experienced near-record cold of minus 23F (minus 30C) on Wednesday and minus 21F (minus 29C) on Thursday, was expected to bask in snow-melting highs in the mid-40s to low 50s Fahrenheit. So will other parts of the Midwest.

"It's going to feel quite balmy in comparison," Orrison said.

The weather caused hundreds of traffic accidents, including a chain-reaction collision of about two dozen cars in Grand Rapids, Michigan, during a whiteout on Wednesday, local media reported.

More than 2,500 flights were canceled and more than 3,500 were delayed on Thursday morning, most of them out of Chicago's O'Hare International and Midway International airports, according to the flight tracking site FlightAware.com.

General Motors Co suspended operations at 11 Michigan plants and its Warren Tech Center after a utility made an emergency appeal to users to conserve natural gas after extreme cold and a fire at a compressor station. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV also canceled a shift on Thursday at two of its plants.

The blast of Arctic air that brought record-breaking cold, causing at least a dozen deaths and cancelling or delaying thousands of flights in the US Midwest, spread eastward on Thursday, bringing frigid misery to the Northeast.

The blast of Arctic air that brought record-breaking cold, causing at least a dozen deaths and cancelling or delaying thousands of flights in the US Midwest, spread eastward on Thursday, bringing frigid misery to the Northeast. A forecast for warmer weather by the weekend offered little comfort to those enduring icy conditions, brutal winds and temperatures as low as minus 30 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 34 Celsius). "This morning is some of the coldest of the temperatures across the Upper Midwest, and we still have some dangerous wind chills," Andrew Orrison, a forecaster for the National Weather Service, said in a phone interview. In Minnesota and Upper Michigan, temperatures will be at minus 20F (minus 29C) on Thursday and parts of North Dakota can expect minus 30F, forecasters warned. The bitter cold was caused by displacement of the polar vortex, a stream of air that normally spins around the stratosphere over the North Pole but whose current was disrupted. It pushed eastward and states including Massachusetts, New York and Pennsylvania experienced bitterly cold temperatures. The overnight low in Boston was at minus 5F (minus 21C), according to the National Weather Service. "This morning is the worst of the worst in terms of the cold," Orrison said. "It'll be the coldest outbreak of Arctic air (so far this winter) for the Mid-Atlantic and the Northeast." It has been more than 20 years since a similar Arctic blast covered a swath of the Midwest and Northeast, according to the weather service. The cold has caused at least 12 deaths since Saturday across the Midwest, according to officials and news media reports. Some died in weather-related traffic accidents, others from apparent exposure to the elements. Videos this week showed boiling water freezing as it was tossed in the air in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and transit workers in Chicago setting fire to train tracks to keep them from locking up. Even parts of the South, such as the mountains of Kentucky, Tennessee and upper Georgia, will be in the single digits, the weather service said. More than 30 record lows were shattered across the Midwest. Some areas only saw a high of minus 10F (minus 23F) on Wednesday. The lowest temperature recorded that day was minus 40F (minus 40C) in International Falls, Minnesota, just south of Canada. The city, dubbed the "Icebox of the Nation," saw temperatures drop another 5 degrees F early on Thursday. U.S. homes and businesses used record amounts of natural gas for heating on Wednesday, according to preliminary results from financial data provider Refinitiv. But the picture was set to change. By the weekend, Chicago, which experienced near-record cold of minus 23F (minus 30C) on Wednesday and minus 21F (minus 29C) on Thursday, was expected to bask in snow-melting highs in the mid-40s to low 50s Fahrenheit. So will other parts of the Midwest. "It's going to feel quite balmy in comparison," Orrison said. The weather caused hundreds of traffic accidents, including a chain-reaction collision of about two dozen cars in Grand Rapids, Michigan, during a whiteout on Wednesday, local media reported. More than 2,500 flights were canceled and more than 3,500 were delayed on Thursday morning, most of them out of Chicago's O'Hare International and Midway International airports, according to the flight tracking site FlightAware.com. General Motors Co suspended operations at 11 Michigan plants and its Warren Tech Center after a utility made an emergency appeal to users to conserve natural gas after extreme cold and a fire at a compressor station. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV also canceled a shift on Thursday at two of its plants.

Arctic freeze spreads in US; Minnesota, upper Michigan, north Dakota face brutal icy conditions

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US winter storm: More than 60 killed, millions affected by 'bone-chilling cold' amid Arctic blast

US winter storm: Millions face below-zero temperatures amid dangerous Arctic freeze

Icy blast begins to ease in US midwest and northeast

Arctic freeze spreads in US; Minnesota, upper Michigan, north Dakota face brutal icy conditions