Record-Breaking Cold Temperatures Set to Plunge 50 Degrees Below Normal

Over 60 million Americans will be affected by dangerously cold weather from Wednesday to the weekend. This covers a big part of the US and makes it possible for a winter storm to cause widespread problems.

A strengthening storm system is interacting with air from the Arctic to bring dangerous winter weather to the central US. Eventually, it will hit the coast of the mid-Atlantic. Parts of Kentucky, West Virginia, and Virginia are still trying to get back on their feet after deadly floods caused by a storm over the weekend. The bitter cold and snow will make recovery even harder.

Five people died in the storm over the weekend. Two died in West Virginia and twelve died in Kentucky. Gov. Patrick Morrisey said Tuesday morning that one person was still missing in West Virginia after the storm. Gov. Andy Beshear said at a news conference Tuesday morning that two more people in Kentucky’s Jefferson County seemed to have died of cold.

“That should tell all of us that the weather is just as dangerous as that water,” Beshear said, referring to the harsh cold and snow that are still coming to the state.

This week, the cold air will get stronger and spread out more. By Friday, about three-quarters of the US population will be experiencing below-freezing temperatures.

That’s up to 50 degrees below what it usually is in February. More than 270 temperature records will be broken in at least 27 states.