The record-shattering cold afflicting the Midwest and Northeast spread South on Tuesday.
Colder than Alaska
A kink in an Arctic wind pattern called the polar vortex pushed the cold into places like Birmingham, Ala., where the low of 7 degrees beat a 34-year-old record of 11 — and the day’s low for Anchorage, Alaska. Even Pensacola, Fla., saw its record fall.
Stranded travelers
In Northwest Illinois, hundreds of passengers on a Chicago-bound Amtrak train had to wait overnight after the 8,000 h.p. engine got stuck in the snow. The extreme cold also played havoc with airline schedules.
What’s next
With all 50 states posting sub-freezing temperatures Tuesday, a coming warm-up will be welcome. But don’t expect too much — Chicagoans, for instance, can look forward to a high of 37 degrees on Friday.
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