In the biting cold
- POSTED ON: 8 Feb, 2019
- TOTAL VIEWS: 1029 Views
- POSTED BY: Bhavya Venkatesh
- ARTICLE POINTS: 100 Points
At the end of January this year, people in parts of the U.S. had to deal with a record-breaking cold wave that swept through the region, causing temperatures to drop drastically. For instance, the temperature in Chicago was 10 degrees Fahrenheit lower than that of Antarctica!
So, what happened?
The scientific term for the phenomenon is polar vortex. A polar vortex is a band of strong winds found around the North Pole, keeping bitterly cold air locked around the Arctic region. Sometimes, the vortex can become distorted and wander far further south than usual. This is what happened in the U.S. this year.
How were people affected?
Schools and offices were closed for days, thousands of flights were cancelled, and there were several power cuts. At least 21 people reportedly died and many were injured.
Is this phenomenon linked to climate change and global warming?
While scientists are still studying the phenomenon, it is possible that climate change and increasing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere could play a role.
Unravel these images to take a look at scenes from the affected regions.
Firefighters tackle a blaze in Toronto, Canada.
A frozen water fountain in New York, the U.S.
The skyline of Buffalo, the U.S. in drifting snow.
The frozen shores of Lake Michigan.
Photos: Reuters, AP