Icy cold in the US : Felt like minus 45 degrees

millions of people in the Midwest of the USA have to adjust to an extreme cold wave with temperatures of minus 34 degrees Celsius and below. The National weather service (NWS) warned of "life-threatening, Arctic winds" and what felt like temperatures of minus 45 degrees Celsius. "These are very dangerous conditions that can result in less than five minutes to frostbite on unprotected skin," tweeted the NWS office in Minneapolis.

Approximately 212 million inhabitants would be expected until Thursday, with values below the freezing point, it said. Responsible for the Arctic cold of the so-called polar vortex, a Band of cold westerly winds that circles normally over the North pole. The vortex is weakened, the air in the lower Latitudes to escape. To the Midwest USA Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin are counted.

Until Wednesday had been cancelled because of the cold at various airports more than 2,700 flights, according to the broadcaster CNN. Especially Chicago was affected. The million-strong metropolis in the state of Illinois has been described as the epicenter of the cold wave – the expected record values of minus 32 degrees Celsius.

governors call in the event of a disaster

In Illinois, Governor J. B. Pritzker called in the event of a disaster. "The cold weather, the power between Tuesday evening and Thursday morning on the way to us, could bring us temperatures that we have not previously experienced. They represent a serious risk to the health of people across the state,“ wrote Pritzker.

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Even the Governor of Wisconsin, Tony Evers, said the case of a disaster. In the state of Iowa, where similar low values are expected, recommends that the competent NWS-branch citizens, to avoid deep breaths and to speak as little as possible: "This is the coldest air that many of us have ever experienced," it said in its weather report from Tuesday (local time). "This is not a case of ,Well, it is Iowa in the Winter and this cold front comes.'"

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Germany, Europe and the USA, meteorologists more weeks of cold wave

The perceived temperature – the "Windchill"-values to be expected are often significantly lower. On Tuesday morning the state of Maine have been calculated according to the NWS in the U.S.-values of up to minus 49 degrees Celsius. The "Windchill effect" describes the cooling of the skin with increased wind speed. (dpa)