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Millions of Americans face extreme cold, travel disruptions as Arctic blast sweeps in over Christmas
- Arctic blizzards, sub-zero temperatures and intense winds pose significant danger, as a powerful winter storm hits the US
- Airlines have already cancelled more than 2,000 US flights, disrupting holiday travel for thousands during the Christmas period
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“Astronomical winter” conditions are heading for nearly every state in America ahead of the holiday weekend, according to the National Weather Service.
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Arctic blizzards, below-freezing temperatures, and intense winds are forecast to impact millions from the Pacific Northwest to the Appalachian Mountains lasting until Saturday afternoon, the government agency said.
More than 90 million people across 37 states are under weather alerts, in what the NWS is calling a “once in a generation type event,” with states as far south as Texas bracing for icy conditions.
A wall of “dangerous” arctic air sweeping through the US from Western Canada could bring heavy snow in the Northwest and Rocky Mountains, while the Midwest faces possible blizzard conditions and “life-threatening” wind chills before the storm swings eastward.
According to the NWS, temperatures in the Great Plains could reach as low as -30 degrees Fahrenheit, while wind gusts of up to 60 miles per hour could hit the central and north-central US with temperatures as low as -40F.
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