Coldest in 20 years in many US states

Many areas in the United States plunge into a deep freeze as a polar vortex sweeps through two dozen states from the Midwest to the Southeast and Northeast. CNN reports it’s the coldest in 20 years in many areas. The wind chill from the rare “polar vortex” could make it feel as cold as -51ºC in places. Officials blame the extreme cold for 13 deaths so far. More than 3,800 flights were canceled Monday afternoon. In a report, CNN said the distorted polar vortex could be a side effect of global warming. CNN international senior meteorologist Brandon Miller explained the polar vortex, which is a “circulation of strong, upper-level winds that normally surround the North Pole,” can lead to major cold air outbreaks in North America, Europe, and Asia.

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