Bitter cold temperatures increase the risk of freezing in the north of the US.

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Temperatures in the Midwest, Plains and Mountain West will fluctuate between 20 and 40 degrees below normal for the next five to seven days. Factor in gusts of wind from 20 to 30 mph, and there will be life-threatening chills as low as 50 degrees below zero.

“Chills down to -50 degrees can cause frostbite on exposed skin within 10 minutes,” said the National Weather Service Office in Bismarck, North Dakota. “Frostbite and hypothermia are likely if proper precautions are taken outside.”

More than 25 million people from Montana to Michigan suffer from wind chill and are being warned.

When there is no wind, bodies radiate heat, creating a layer of protective heat against the cold weather. However, when it’s windy, that moving air breaks down that insulating layer of heat, accelerating heat loss and allowing hypothermia to occur more quickly.

The NWS office in Bismarck said, “A prolonged bout of life-threatening chills is expected this weekend,” and possibly most of next week.

Stack on the blankets

The coldest air will flow through the upper midwest on Saturday. Temperatures will drop below zero on Saturday morning in at least half a dozen states. Even high temperatures are expected to be 25 to 30 degrees below normal in Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois and the Dakotas.

From there, the cold air spreads to the south and east.

“Another reinforcing cold front will sweep through the region Sunday morning,” said the National Weather Service Office in Cleveland. “Temperatures will be the coldest so far this season this weekend to early next week, with below average temperatures continuing next week.”

More than 43 million people in the contiguous US are expected to see sub-zero temperatures in the next seven days.

From Sunday through Thursday, Cleveland, Indianapolis and Detroit will see high temperatures of 15 to 20 degrees below normal, keeping them below freezing for nearly a full week.

Starting this weekend, Chicago, Kansas City, Missouri and Des Moines, Iowa will witness temperatures 20 to 30 degrees below normal, usually keeping them below 20 degrees.

It’s not just the Midwest that will experience this freezer. Southern states like Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi will also be 15 to 30 degrees below normal Tuesday and Wednesday.

See how fast the agency workers will decline where you are

‘It shouldn’t be too cold to snow’

“While it may be too hot to snow, it can’t be too cold to snow,” the National Snow and Ice Data Center website said. Snow can occur even at incredibly low temperatures, as long as there is a source of moisture and a way to lift or cool the air. However, it is true that most heavy snowfalls occur when there is relatively warm air near the ground – typically -9 degrees C (15 degrees F) or warmer – as warmer air can hold more water vapor. “

Despite the bitter cold, there is also a chance of snow showers for parts of Iowa, Kansas and Nebraska, where there is likely to be 2 to 4 inches through Sunday.

A low-pressure system that will develop off the coast of the Carolinas will slide up the east coast on Sunday. The system’s proximity to the New England coast will determine whether many northeastern cities receive rain or snow.

“The system will intensify as it follows the east coast and has the potential to bring another round of significant snow across the mid-Atlantic and parts of the northeast,” said Dave Hennen, a CNN meteorologist. “There is currently a lot of uncertainty about where / who will get the most snow and whether the major metropolises in the northeast will be affected.”

CNN’s Haley Brink contributed to this report.

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