A strong wave of extreme cold with “threat to life” affects a strip of 11 states in the US, after floods left about 14 dead in the east of the country.
An intense cold feels on Tuesday in the central part of the United States, while a polar vortex affected the rocky mountains and the northern plains after the storms of the weekend that whipped the east of the country with floods, causing the death of at least 14 people.
The National Meteorology Service warned Monday about a “cold that threatens life”, since the thermal sensations fell to 51 degrees Celsius below zero (60 degrees Fahrenheit below zero) in parts of north Dakota and 46 ° C below zero (50 ºF below zero) in parts of Montana. It was predicted that on Tuesday morning it would be even colder.
Extreme cold warnings were issued for a strip of 11 states in the United States that extends from the Canadian border to Oklahoma and the center of Texas, where it was expected that the Arctic Front would bring almost record temperatures and thermal sensations of a single digit of the week.
Meteorologists had predicted that parts of the United States would experience the tenth and coldest this season's vortex event. Climate forces in the Arctic are pushing cold air to the United States and Europe that normally stays close to the North Pole.
Mortal floods
The death toll in Kentucky – affected by floods – increased to 12, Governor Andy Beshear reported Monday night. Two fatal vehicle accidents were related to severe climate, he added, and at least 1,000 people trapped by floods had to be rescued.
Parts of Kentucky and Tennessee received up to 15 centimeters of rain while severe storms whipped the south. The water immersed cars and buildings in Kentucky, and landslides blocked roads in Virginia.
In Western Virginia, where a death was confirmed and several people were still missing, Governor Patrick Morrisey asked President Donald Trump to issue a disaster statement for a region of 13 counties devastated floods.
In Atlanta, a person died when a big tree fell on a house on Sunday morning.
Flood warnings extended on Monday for most of Kentucky and parts of Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, Virginia Occidental, Virginia and Ohio.
The extreme cold gives the US a sample of the Arctic climate
This is the coldest month of the year for many locations, and air temperatures can approach record levels in some areas, said meteorologist Jason Anglin of the National Meteorology Service in Bismarck.
People must cover exposed skin and limit the time outdoors to avoid freezing, which can occur in minutes in such low temperatures, Anglin warned.
Due to the icy conditions and a “lack of adequate heating fuel”, the governor of North Dakota, Kelly Armstrong, exempt the requirements of service hours for the drivers of commercial vehicles that transport propane and oil products. The exemption is for 30 days.
It is expected that the cold wave in North Dakota would reduce oil production by approximately 5 % – between 50,000 and 80,000 barrels per day – something quite typical for such conditions, said Justin Kringstad, director of the state's pipeline authority . Approximately one week is required once temperatures heat so that the volumes recover, he added.
Animals can die in a matter of minutes in such cold, observed Julie Schirado, founder of the Furry Friends Rockin 'Rescue Animal Refuge, based in Bismarck. The shelter works with other rescue teams and uses special floor for kennels, heating garages and basements to house animals, he explained.
“We see death frequently, but when cold temperatures hit, then it increases even more. We lose kittens, puppies that are outside in this climate … freezing can be terrible, ”said Schirado. People must take their pets indoors in extreme cold conditions.
(With information from The Associated Press)