Millions face below-zero temperatures in US as winter storms bring Arctic air

American here, I agree, our anachronistic measurement systems and twisted pride in them is insane (but insanity is perfectly normal here).

In the lower Midwest it is currently -22C (-8F) in Kansas City and Chicago. In the upper Midwest it's about -25C (--13F) in Fargo, North Dakota and 27C (-17F) in Billings, Montana.

Temperatures are usually 10-15 degrees C higher this time of year, so this weather is quite dangerous.

Edit: I'm only citing air temperatures above. We use the term "windchill" in place of what most countries call "perceived temperature" which tries to estimate what it feels like outside by factoring in wind and humidity conditions. The windchill in those cities would be much lower than the air temperatures. When it gets this cold though, numbers are pretty abstract. It would be more useful to say like the number of minutes exposed skin has until frostbite sets in.

An estimated 95 million people were under weather warnings or advisories for wind chills -0F (-17 C), according to the weather service. Forecasters said the severe cold could push as far south as northern Texas.

Yeeeaaaaah. So, as an American who has a Canadian partner, lemme tell you that the way you find this curious makes sense. People who typically get cold weather have city snow plows and salt trucks and infrastructure that can handle the cold, because y'all had to adapt and prep accordingly due to geographic climate. Down here, where it is hilly, and we have no plows or salt, where winter tires are unheard of because they're unneeded 99% of the time, a slight dusting of snow kills people. No one can drive on ice. Vehicles slide. People fall. Power lines snap. Trees succumb. The city can't help everyone as the car wrecks and injuries stack up. We don't have adequate warming shelters and I just read an article where a church bishop was arrested for letting the unhoused come in overnight because of some crappy zoning law. People trapped in rural poverty don't have backup water or heat or even warm clothes. Stuff gets real. And fast. Our schools cancel at the sign of snow flurries for this reason, because forcing people to drive the back roads to school literally means risking lives. I know you guys march to school with snow up to your nips, but down here the same scenario would be like dropping you in the middle of a sandstorm with no gear. We rarely get this kind of extreme weather and even our houses and water pipes aren't capable of taking it. Whole things is nuts. 10F is life threatening to me, but to you seems like a chilly day, my friend. Putting this out there for all the people who can't think outside their own experiences. To be fair, we all struggle with it. And now that the weather is a wildcard and extreme on both ends, we are all gonna have to adjust again. Together. I dunno, y'all. I'm tired. lol

It's a month too early.