Temperatures down to -50 degrees in US and Canada: 'We're not going outside anymore'

It’s not just Europe that’s cold right now. For example, the United States and Canada have been affected by the so-called Arctic outbreak. It drives icy winds from the North Pole to both countries. Depending on the location, the temperature can drop as low as minus 50 degrees Celsius. “We don’t go out anymore. The lock on our front door is frozen inside, so we can’t even open it.

According to forecasts from the US National Weather Service, cold polar air will bring much colder temperatures this weekend, especially in the northern United States and Canada. After the weekend, freezing temperatures will move south. Extremely low temperatures can be dangerous, especially in conjunction with multiple storms. Various US media, for example, have detailed warnings about the dangers of hypothermia and frostbite.

For a few days now, both the countries have been grappling with the Arctic blast, or the rapid arrival of very cold air from the Arctic, which causes a sudden and sharp drop in temperature. In many areas, the temperature drops to minus 30, 40 and even 50 degrees Celsius.

It is especially cold in western Canada. Various scientists and meteorologists are talking about a ‘climate emergency’. A severe cold wave has already affected millions of Americans and Canadians. Winter storms are causing hundreds of flight cancellations and chaos on highways as they cover the country in a thick layer of snow. At least two deaths have occurred as a result of the cold.

‘The front door is frozen’

The perceived temperature has now reached minus 50 degrees Celsius, said Dutch Anok Doojeweerd from Calgary, Canada. “We knew it was coming, so we stocked up on food,” he says. “We don’t go out anymore, and that’s not recommended. Also: the lock on the front door is frozen inside, so we can never open that door.

The strips around the door should prevent drafts. “This is especially concerning for the elderly and young children because their skin can’t handle this cold.” Anouk says the internet is down because the freezing cold has killed the cables outside. “But good times are coming,” he laughs, adding that the coming days will be ‘only’ minus 15 degrees Celsius.

In Alberta, Canada, everyone is being urged not to use too much electricity to prevent blackouts.

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Temperatures in Kansas were close Kickoff of NFL Playoffs between Kansas City Chiefs and Miami Dolphins Around -20 degrees Celsius, felt temperature -29 degrees. The matchup will go down as the coldest matchup in American football history.

The coldest NFL game was in 1967, also known as the Ice Bowl. At the time, the Green Bay Packers were playing the Dallas Cowboys and the temperature was -25 degrees Celsius, with a wind chill of -44.

Historically little snow

The 2023/24 winter started exceptionally mild in North America. December turned out to be the warmest month for much of the United States and Canada. Many temperature records were broken. Christmas in North America has historically had little snow, and in most places it turned out not to be a white Christmas, but a green one. The high heat and lack of snow is due to a high pressure area that has been around most of the US and Canada for most of the month. But it’s over now.