Wind chills as low as 50 degrees below zero

Parts of North America and Canada are experiencing severe cold. In some places, the temperature was measured as low as -40 degrees Celsius, while the perceived temperature was -50. Countries are also experiencing snowfall. These two combine to produce freezing temperatures in the coming days.

This region often experiences harsh winters. Last winter, residents of Iowa and Illinois were also hit with noticeably colder temperatures. More than 1.4 million Americans were without power due to winter weather. In Minnesota, the temperature dropped to -33 degrees, with a wind chill of -40.

According to local meteorologists, the temperature is now even lower which is quite exceptional. “It's something we haven't seen in some parts of the country for decades,” said a meteorologist CBC, Canada's public broadcaster. It's been 52 years since Edmonton, in southern Canada, last hit -40 degrees.

Apart from the cold, there is also a blizzard, with winds of up to 90 kilometers per hour. As a result many flights have been canceled and some motorways are impassable.

The reason for the cold is the Arctic air that countries have to deal with. That air comes from the Arctic, and if the air blows from that direction it will cause lower temperatures. If that wind joins storms, as is currently the case in the US and Canada, it can cause extremely low temperatures.

Local authorities warn that skin exposed to these temperatures can freeze within minutes. Young children, the elderly or those with chronic illnesses should be extra careful, they urge. They also urge residents to keep pets indoors if possible.

However, the cold front has already had an impact on the campaigns of several Republican presidential candidates. Former President Donald Trump has canceled several trips to Iowa. The state's Republican primary is scheduled for next Monday, when voters will gather to decide which candidate they will support in the presidential election later this year.