Deep freeze grips much of U.S.

Temperatures plummeted across the United States on Thursday as a winter storm created blizzard conditions from Montana to Maine. In Montana, several ski resorts announced closures due to extreme cold as temperatures reached minus 50 degrees Fahrenheit in some areas. Denver saw its lowest temperatures in 32 years on Thursday. And now forecasters are expecting a bomb cyclone—when atmospheric pressure drops very quickly in a strong storm—to develop near the Great Lakes. That will stir up even more blizzard conditions, including heavy winds and snow.

How are states coping? National Guard and extra state troopers are deployed in some parts of Indiana and Michigan to help stranded travelers. Airlines canceled more than 1,700 flights Thursday morning, with Chicago and Denver airports seeing the most cancellations. Last February, a storm overwhelmed the Texas power grid, leading to hundreds of deaths. But state leaders said they are better prepared this year.

Dig deeper: Listen to Steve West’s report on The World and Everything in It podcast about memories of past snow days from WORLD readers and listeners.