50 Photos That Show Just How Insanely Cold It Is In America Right Now
Extreme weather events are becoming more and more common, with records shattered down under during Australia's recent heatwave, and now, at the opposite end of the spectrum, the 'polar vortex' turning Midwestern U.S. into a winter wonderland.
The polar vortex is a band of strong winds, high up in the atmosphere that keeps bitterly cold winter season air locked around the Arctic region. Sometimes, like this year, it can drift further south than usual and envelop highly populated areas of North America. Chigaco has been particularly hard hit, with its notoriously windy location on Lake Michigan bringing freezing temperatures down to record-breaking lows.
With much of the Midwest on lockdown and people urged to stay indoors, some people have been braving the winter landscapes to take incredible images of the effects that the extremely cold weather is having on their daily lives. From exploding toilets to icy hairstyles, this list compiled by Bored Panda will give you chills just from looking at it!
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My Brother Was On One Of The Few Flights Into Chicago This Morning. He Took This Photo Of Frozen Lake Michigan From The Plane
Meanwhile In Minnesota. The Tank Exploded
A Firefighter After Working In The -40° Polar Vortex
Looks like staged for someone who hasnt experienced it, its really unbelievable how cold it is.
My God. We've Reached The Day After Tomorrow
Lunch In Chicago Today. I Like Mine Al Dente
“Is Iowa Really That Cold?”
Current Level Of Snow In Madison: One Whole Mingo
Pray For The Homeless During This Time! Give To Your Local Shelters. Most Are At Full Capacity
It's So Cold In Chicago They Set Commuter Train Tracks On Fire To Warm Them
It's So Cold In Iowa That We Froze Antifreeze
Eye Lashes On Fleek! Is That A Thing? Is This The New Winter Running Fashion Statement?
wow, never experienced this before. It looks dangerous being out there.
What Happens When You Blow Bubbles In A Freezing Weather
When These Are The Inside Doors... You Know We Are Polar Vortexing
Cadillac Michigan The Light Poles Are Shivering. Science Mannn
Landlord Decided To Turn Down The Heat Today In My MN Apartment As It Reached -40°
The idiot must have forgotten he pays my electric and doesn't realize that I value my comfort over safety or energy conservation.
I don't know if you have human rights in America (not many, anyway) but you should be able to prosecute him for that.
Going To Daycare When It's -30 Outside
Frozen Chicken Eggs
Wow! That looks amazing! Imagine laying it on the frying pan and watching it melt. *went to put eggs outside*
You Know It's Cold When The Toilet Paper Is Frozen In The Outhouse
The Detroit River, Frozen All The Way To Canada
Got So Cold Last Night That Our Vodka Froze! For Reference The Freezing Point For Vodka Is -16
I keep my alcohol in the freezer all the time and I never saw a bottle freeze. I am amazed and afraid at the same time of the weather there.
We Had A House Fire South Of Cameron Today. Our Chief Mitch Hansen Thought It Was A Splash Park
Letting My Car Heat Up During The Polar Vortex
House Is Freezing From The Inside During The Coldest Day In A Decade
A Sheet Of Ice Formed Between The Glass Panes Of This Door
Polar Vortex Lesson: Don’t Try To Hang Dry Your Clothes Outside
Polar Vortex (Temp. 16 F /-9 C)
Thanks for telling us a temperature that the rest of the world actually uses.
My Parents Sent Me This Pic Of Our Peephole (From The Indoor Side)
One Cold Rowdy Dog On The Bulkhead. Still Looking For Leftover Canteen Snacks
I Just Wanted To See How Long It Would Take For An Egg To Freeze Outside And Also What Would Become Of My Egg
Cold Spell
Yes, that is ice on the inside of our house. It's not the first time that ice has formed around our door. We've talked to our landlord and hope to get a new door and door frame in spring when we don't have to worry about getting frostbite about people outside for five minutes. It would really help with our utility bill as well.
It Was So Cold In Chicago That The Paint Came Off My Car
That's probably down to a bad paint job. I'm sure it's supposed to last even in sub zero conditions.
"No, Believe Me, 'Tis Very Cold; The Wind Is Northerly"
Looks like these jeans are having a conversation. "Check it out, guys, I froze in such a funny position!"
Ice Is Freezing As Soon As It Comes Out Of Our Faucet Because It's So Cold
You know what it looks like, right? ... I'm talking about a snow candle, you pervert.
This Is My Buddy Jesse At The Arrowhead 135 In Mn Yesterday. Day Time Temp Was -26 °F
In A Matter Of 2 Minutes Walking Across Campus, My Glasses Started To Frost/Ice Over
Everyone’s been talking about how cold Chicago is right now. The upper Midwest (I’m talking Fargo area) had windchills up to -60 below zero, ten degrees colder than Chicago. In a matter of 2 minutes walking across campus, my glasses started to frost/ice over.
My Wall Is Freezing In My Bedroom. There Are No Pipes Behind It. Chicago
It's So Cold Here In Iowa That There Is Now Frost On The Inside Of My Door Hinges
My Beard Froze While Waiting Bus. I Wish It Would Be Summer Already
It happens all the time when the hair is close to your mouth and you breathe on it
Living in Australia, I always thought to myself: Nah, it can't be that bad. After looking at this post, it blew my mind. Wow! How do people live with this? I guess if you grow up there, you get used to it, but I can't even imagine living like that!
Most of these shouldn't be happening. That's what you have heating and insulation for. I assume in these places such weather isn't common so they were unprepared ( ? I thought US does get some kind of winter though?). As a Russian I can tell you you're definitely not supposed to get ice *inside*, whether it's -20 or -40 C out there ;P Also, I love winter and am jealous right now, warming up to disgusting +1 here atm, mah snow is melting D:
Ugh, I feel you. Everything's melting here in Ukraine, too. And yeah, I cannot fathom how some of these ppl cope with their situation. The water is instantly freezing INSIDE THE HOUSE? Wtf even? Sounds like one of my grandma's horror stories about how her childhood was so much harder
Was thinking the same, if you get snow on the inside of doors and windows, either your house is way to moist or you got really bad insulation ( Sweden, we got so much snow here now, but we know what to expect so our houses are built to keep it out )
It gets that cold where I am (upstate NY) at least once or twice a winter and I agree, it has to do with whether or not you and your home are prepared for it.
Amazing!! In only two years President Trump has stopped global warming!!
It gets seriously cold in the US in the northeast, midwest & northwest; probably not Russia-cold, but below zero. i agree that people should be more prepared, but sometimes you don't know until it happens if you move into a new place. all that snow & ice inside is totally ridiculous--hopefully it's in older homes & not something that's fairly new!
It makes sense when you put it in context. This is happening at 45 degrees latitude, which cuts through northern China and southern Mongolia. That is like -51 C in a climate that's more like Romania or Germany. That temperature isn't even normal for Russia, other than places like Oymyakon or Yakutsk.
It is hot here in Australia . give me some cool weather.
Some of these temps are equal to -51 C. And you're in Russia. This is happening at 45 longitude, which runs through southern Mongolia and northern China. This is like -51 C in southern Romania.
That was my thought as well. In canada we frequently see upwards of -60 with windchill and never see this happening in our homes. But our homes are built to withstand the cold, as its a yearly occurance lol
They do get winter, but it doesn't get that cold. They were getting Arctic level winter in areas that don't get that level of winter conditions, except once in a long while.
Most of those things are a little surprising. In Minnesota -15 isn't exactly uncommon and this was only 10 degrees colder. What made this different was the wind. With the wind chill it felt like -50.
This was an unusal cold for the USA. We do get cold weather and snow. But not artic cold. This weather was blown here from the North Pole.
I live in Quebec City and while we do get -40C, we still live our lives. We do get used to it. The thing is, if temperatures drop 20 or 30 degrees Celcius from one da6 to another, we are going to be very cold, just live anyone who is not used to it. If the temperature slowly lowers to -40, then we will be fine. Houses should not have frost inside. Water should not freeze when it leaves the pipes. If your water freezes, you have to let it run constantly so if won't freeze in your pipes. My colleague used to live in Whitehorse and many days did they have to let water run. The government was issuing those tips.
Keep in mind they show their temperature in Fahrenheit :)
I read somewhere that this cold broke a 120 year old record, so I guess they aren't really used to it? That could also explain why the houses aren't made to handle this? Because this really shouldn't be happening to your house.
You acclimate to it after a bit. It’s been nearly a week of -25C/-15F here in Michigan and I’ve had to spend a fair amount of time outdoors caring for animals. Today it is sunny and a balmy -10C/15F. It feels wonderful. Good day for a run or a a couple of km on the Nordic ski trails.
Yeah, I've gotten used to it...The best part is that we've gotten a week off school!
you sure do get used to it ! I am from Winnipeg in Manitoba, Canada . Ive lived in England for 32 years, and just KNOW I couldn't cope with another Canadian winter !
Wisconsin and Minnesota do not normally get this cold this time of year. Because of the Winter Vortex, temps have been dropping a lot more rapidly. Most northern states are fully equipped to deal with snow..but when it snows so bad that even the plows are called off for fear of them getting stuck or the drivers freezing..it's colder than usual. Even here in North Carolina, having temps below freezing for several weeks in a row is unusual.
Honestly, as someone who grew up in Kansas, I've been used the the sub-degree levels since I was little, but not all this damn snow!
No, born and raised, hate it, will never, ever get used to this. It sucks on so many levels.
Yeah, I'm from Florida. I can't even begin to imagine.
The places hit by the polar vortex are not used to that degree of cold, that is the reason the results are so drastic. In my town in Indiana, it is the coldest day ever recorded. We aren't prepared for that. :)
Everyone always makes fun of us in the U.S. because we make a big deal over "a little snow." But what a lot of people dont realize is that this type of weather is not normal and neither is our state of living prepared for something like this. Our houses were not built for this type of weather. Not only that, but even getting to work is difficult because we have A LOT of roads and not enough people (nor money) to maintain them. So if this type of weather comes along, even with warning, there isnt really much we can do. Salt on the roads? Sure, if you have time to sprinkle that magic all over the labyrinth of streets. Improved heating systems and home insulators? If you got the money with your broke a** paychecks. We usually have "mild four seasons", not "attack of mother nature's hormones."
It just depends where you are in the country. Yes, a little snow will shut down Southern cities, up north this is no big deal. Certain areas also have more stable weather. Minnesota is in a weird spot where that extreme cold drops down, but at the same time extreme heat drops down in the summer. A couple years back we had the hottest temperature in the United States. When combined with the humidity it was comparable to a tropical rainforest, which sounds weird with Minnesota's reputation of being cold and snowy. To one of your points tho, spring and fall has disappeared. This year it literally went like this...we need to mow the lawn 1 more time...then it rained for a week, then it was in the 20s and winter was here.
How are you dealing with the opposite issue of the winter polar vortexes? Heard your country is encountering extreme heat!!
I'm also Australian, and it is very hot. However, news of extreme heat waves are being way overblown. It's Summer, and it's doing what it does every Summer. However, I will say the heat does kill more people than every other natural event combined. I am a firm believer that air conditioning in rented homes should be law; it's necessary to have heating in very cold countries, so why not ac here? I say that not as a tenant, but as a londlord myself.
You build differently, dress up differently and go by. Try imagining it afterall.
I thought you have a hard time in Australia too right now? Swedish newspapers wright about extremely hot weather in Australia. Here in Sweden it’s about -2 * Celsius and snow.
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Look at pictures from Oymyakon, Russia - coldest city. Average minus 50 C ( minus 58 F) I suppose when widy -70 even... That is hardcore ;) Or Yakutsk
Hot in Perth; Roasting everywhere else in our sun burnt country!
Dress in lots of layers. My Under Armor 3.0 base layer has been a godsend. Thank goodness this kind of cold is not typical!
Same from living in NZ!
What confuses me mostly, that in a few pictures the apartments seems to be zero isolated and the doors are made of thin materials
History lesson, following WWII there was an enormous boom in construction in the US. There was high demand for single-family housing, and builders built down to a price, instead of up to a level of quality. At the time, insulation was rather expensive, and energy was quite cheap, so it made sense to insulate lightly. The snow coming in through corners is down to the overlapping issues that can develop at corners: Corner framing style, is it a 4x4 post, two 2x4s, three 2x4s or something else? Is there a dead space that didn't get insulated? Is the sheathing continuous or is it made of boards with spaces between, if it is, the subfloor is likely also boards with spaces between, leaving plenty of gaps for air-infiltration.
Thanks for sharing this with people. Didn't seem right that these things were happening.
As an example, my own house was built in 1956, and it is insulated only by a 1" thick batt of cellulose fiber trapped between two layers of paper. Back then, heating oil was very cheap.
In addition to what M O'Connell said, sometimes those old houses were filled with wood-chip insulation that gradually settles over time so the top half of the wall may literally have no insulation in it anymore, while the bottom has twice as much.
Loose-pack cellulose was in use until fairly recently, when they discovered that it can settle significantly over time. Cellulose insulation is now densely-packed into wall cavities.
A couple photos are from outhouses, with no insulation or heat.
I think you meant to say zero insulation, some houses are poorly built !!!
Ok as someone from West-Norway who been through a few super frosty winters and family owns a cabin up the mountains, how the fuck do you get frost indoors?
Drafty construction.
I've lived in the US, they don't usually build with bricks. It's all wood frame, little insulation and then a front cover of some type, plaster and boom. you have a house.
Bra fråga...
theese houses are build from cardboard or what?
Tree houses.
With all this cold I'm expecting Trump to come with the idea of a Ice Wall.
So Trump would be a white walker at the north side of the wall. Pretty accurate.
Every country votes for the president it deserves. Spoiler: Caridina is no US citizen (luckily).
I think he'll be a orange walker actually given his racism.
Spoiler: Caridina wasted her vote on Hillary and still regrets it.
Ice wall sounds fun as hell. Sign me up!
Make Vlad Triggered Again!
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AMAZING idea, Bad Whoreobet!
Surely some of these just show how poorly the houses are constructed and/insulated?
I live in Canada, and those temperatures are normal for us in the winter (every winter), no big drama about it. Our houses are well-insulated and well-heated. As a Realtor, I see plenty of houses, and I've never seen bathrooms or sinks frozen. Seeing some of the photos here, I start to think that some people in the USA are seriously neglecting the insulation and the weatherproofing of their homes. On a positive note - perhaps now they will do something about it.
We just had a house built and that made me realize that insulation is probably everyone's number one preoccupation here when building something.
No s**t sherlock ;)
The reason there's "drama" is because this is atypical weather here. An 18 year old college student froze to death because of it.
In any winter there will be several people who freeze to death, they normally drink too much and forget how to get home, sad but as a forty year old, i know these cold spells just happen now and then, they really aren't that atypical
Tell Elsa we get it. She can go back to Arendelle now.
meanwhile in Russia 5a170262fc...213782.jpg
So much ice inside...do they not have winters normally at all? There gotta be like no heating nor insulation for this. That's awful. Outside looks really cool though, am jealous :P
Here in the US it can get pretty damn cold but all this ice in the house business isnt normal. This is the closest it's been here in over a decade. There is heating and insulation, but those things just cant compete with the temp outside. In fact, anywhere there is ice in the house means there was condensation from the heat in the house. They would have to keep the inside temp around 80 degrees for it to even FEEL like 60 degrees in there. Most of those people will probably have a very hefty bill energy bill when this is over.
* the coldest *
Wouldn't be jealous if I were you, people have been dying.
America: what's wrong with your houses? I live in Sweden and despite the -19 C outside, my home does not look like that! The tank on my toilet doesn't freeze, I don't have icy frost on my walls, I don't have ice creeping in from around the door! I have +23 C inside and I can walk around barefoot. Seriously what's wrong with your houses?? Why don't you build houses that can withstand the cold?
...It was a lot colder than -19.
Gosh, I bet they wish they'd thought of that. Houses were built to withstand temperatures normal for their locations. Temps now are far below normal. Fargo, S. Dakota, with windchill factor, is about -60 degrees F. right now, about 40 degrees colder than usual. Makes a difference.
Calm the down, skippy.
Too bad that Trumpster has nit even a clue that global worming means climate change... Well, but a no-brainer will not get it...
He has a bit? And what is global worming? Is that a new thing? A no-brainer? Jesus, you are a malaka.