Roughly 75% of the US will experience freezing temperatures this week as an Arctic blast hits two thirds of the country. Over 55 million people are under winter warnings, watches and advisories.
By Tuesday night, record-breaking low temperatures are expected across the country as the cold front moves off the eastern seaboard. As many as 300 records could be broken with temperatures more typical for January than November.
Cities in Wisconsin have already reported record-breaking lows, according toNational Weather Service Green Bay,with Oshkosh reaching 23 degrees and Rhinelander hitting 17 degrees Fahrenheit Monday night. Two other Wisconsin cities have broken a record set in 1950, with Wisconsin Rapids reaching 21 degree and Marshfield reaching 19, the National Weather Service said.
In the northeast, cities like New York, Philadelphia and D.C. will start out with rain Tuesday morning and end the day with snow.
The cold air is moving south Tuesday where states like Georgia will see dramatic temperature drops within the span of hours from the mid-50s to near freezing. Even parts of Florida have been issued frost and freeze warnings.
Snow and ice will create dangerous travel conditions in the Plains, Midwest and Northeast.
This winter storm has already caused issues for flights.
More than 1200 flights were canceled Monday at Chicago's O'Hare airport. That morning, an American Eagle flight slid off the runway. At the time, there was light snow with visibility of less than a mile, wind gusts of 30 miles per hour and a temperature of 23 Fahrenheit.
Chicago's Midway Airport has also reported nearly 100 cancellations in the 24 hours.
Schools are also closing or issuing delays ahead of the expected freeze. Across the northeast, more than 70 schools in Vermont, New Hampshire and New York state have already canceled classes due to the snow, according to Vermont Public Radio. In Texas, several schools have announced delays and the Texas Department of Transportation spokesman Rick Dailey says they will be monitoring road and weather conditions throughout the night, CNN affiliate KRIS reported.
