The Polar Vortex we’ve been experiencing here in the Midwest continues to hold tightly and provide the coldest weather endured since 1927! This historic cold snap has now forced thousands of flights to be grounded for safety, schools and universities as well as businesses have been closed, and even the post office has refused to deliver mail in this weather in parts of eight states until the temperatures warm up. This is certainly a dangerous weather system being faced!
Sadly, this freeze has claimed the lives of ten people as a result of this bitterness. A homeless man was found frozen to death in New York; a 70 year old man was found outside his home in Michigan; in Detroit was another 70 year old man found dead in front of his neighbors home; a 60 year old man in Lansing, MI was found dead outdoors; an 18 year old student at the University of Iowa; an unidentified 38 year old woman was found frozen in her Milwaukee apartment after her thermostat broke; an 82 year old man in Peoria, IL was found after he tripped, fell, and succumbed to the cold; two more dead were found outside their homes in Delaware County, IN; and finally, a 22 year old man was found frozen outside his sisters house in Minnesota after drinking and being locked out.
In Minnesota, a wind chill of minus 66 degrees has been reported! Pipes of a local water tower froze and water began to spill out, quickly creating a sheet of ice on nearby roadways.
Illinois is still in a state of emergency as the temperature dipped to negative 23 degrees with winds of 49 degrees below zero!
In Michigan, fire erupted at a natural gas plant in Macomb County and the governor urged residents to reduce their thermostats to 65 degrees or lower.
In Carroll County in Indiana, a zebra died due to cold exposure after becoming stuck in a fence.
Temperatures are expected to pick back up early on this weekend, but do not forget to be cautious and pay attention to local forecasts, because this is still winter. Stay warm and safe and enjoy the few days of warm ahead.