The arctic blast affecting much of the U.S. could result in people suffering frostbite within minutes, experts warn.
The National Weather Service says temperatures and wind-chill temperatures created dangerous conditions as the "bomb cyclone" moved east in the days leading up to Christmas.
A bomb cyclone forms when frigid arctic air moves down into the U.S., where warmer, moister air ahead of it helps atmospheric pressure fall very quickly over 24 hours.
Temperatures could drop more than 20 degrees Fahrenheit in just a few hours and accompanying winds could result in wind-chill temperatures dropping to dangerous lows far below zero, even as low as minus 70 in parts of the Plains.
Frostbite results from reduced blood flow to the extremities. In extreme cases, the tissue can die, and surgery or amputation could be necessary.
The NWS posted a wind-chill chart that shows when frostbite can occur, based on temperature and wind chill.
Frostbite can happen within 5 to 10 minutes with wind-chill temperatures between minus 35 and minus 50, and within 30 minutes when exposed to wind chills of minus 20 to minus 34.
Asthma, arthritis, and even cardiac arrests also are growing concerns with frigid temperatures.
"Your body tries to contain the heat inside of itself, so it closes down its arteries on the surface of your skin. It also kind of closes up some vasospasms — your arteries in your heart," Dr. Joseph McGargill, from MercyOne in Pleasant Hill, Iowa, told KCCI.
The Plains, the upper Midwest and the Great Lakes were expected to see blizzard conditions in addition to extreme temperatures, the NWS said.
The arctic air mass is projected to bring strong wind gusts and temperature of 15 degrees to El Paso, Texas, where newly arrived undocumented migrants are sleeping on city streets, the BBC reported.
Pretty much everyone east of the Rockies — around two-thirds of the country — will see extreme weather in the coming days, said Ryan Maue, a private meteorologist in the Atlanta area.
The arctic blast created major travel problems, especially across the Midwest.
The severe cold is expected to last for about a week.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
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