2014 North American polar vortex

extreme weather event affecting parts of Canada and the United States

The 2014 North American polar vortex was a weather system that caused extremely cold weather through Canada and the United States.[1] Freezing temperatures went all the way down to Nashville, Tennessee. Several cities broke records: Chicago O'Hare International Airport set a record on 6 January with a temperature of −15 °F (−26 °C), beating the −14 °F (−26 °C) record in 1884 and 1988.[2] There were also power failures throughout Canada and United States. One in Newfoundland on 5 January took out the power of 190,000 customers.[3] Almost 24,000 people lost electricity across Missouri, Illinois and Indiana.

The Chicago River during the polar vortex

In Minnesota, Governor Mark Dayton ordered all schools closed down due to weather.[4] Across Indiana, over fifty of the state's ninety-two counties ordered roads closed to all traffic except emergency vehicles, mostly north of Indianapolis.[5]

Several people were killed because of the extreme weather all across North America.

References change

  1. "Historic Freeze". CNN News. 6 January 2014. Retrieved January 6, 2014.
  2. "The Coldest Temperatures in Decades". The New York Times. 6 January 2014. Retrieved January 6, 2014.
  3. "Power Restored to Majority of Customers". CTV News. 6 January 2014. Retrieved January 6, 2014.
  4. "Governor Orders Schools Closed Monday over Cold". CBS News. Retrieved January 6, 2014.
  5. "DHS County Travel" (PDF). Indiana DHS. Archived from the original on January 7, 2014. Retrieved January 6, 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)