With the arrival of the Polar Vortex, temperatures are expected to plummet in various regions of the north and mid-western United States including the Cleveland area. The term “Polar Vortex” is not an exaggeration but an actual weather phenomena. The National Weather Service describes it as, “a large area of low pressure and cold air surrounding both of the Earth’s poles.”

The blast of frigid arctic air has already forced schools to close upon arrival, with temperatures expected to fall as low as -30 degrees. “This is the coldest weather I have experienced in my whole life. I stayed in my house as much as I could but then I had to leave, so I bundled up and even then I was still concerned I would get frostbite. There really is not that much you can do about the cold other than avoid it by staying in your house or bundle up and make it fast,” stated Emma Walker, a Lakewood Ohio native. This weather can not to be taken lightly, 21 lives have been lost due to the Polar Vortex’s severe effects. In parts of Illinois the temperature became comparatively colder than some parts of Antarctica.

The weekend after the mighty chill is expected to bring warmer temperatures and spring like weather. “But the forecast finally suggested relief ahead. By Thursday night, temperatures across much of the Midwest were expected to poke above zero. By the end of the weekend, meteorologists predicted as much as a 70- or 80-degree swing” – The New York Times released.