Much of US braces for extreme cold as dig-out from winter storm continues

WASHINGTON

Millions of Americans were bracing for extreme cold to grip wide swathes of the US this week as the dig-out from a massive winter storm that dumped mounds of snow and ice continued Monday.

Cold weather alerts have been issued for much of the central and eastern US, with a polar vortex expected to set records in some parts of the South and the Northeast this week. That frigid front will also complicate efforts to clear snow and ice in dozens of states, as any melt will refreeze in single-digit temperatures.

Some regions may not see temperatures hit above freezing until early February. The Midwest, in particular, is forecast to be hit with exceptionally frosty temperatures.

In Minneapolis, the latest city rocked by unrest following US President Donald Trump's migrant clampdown, temperatures were expected to fall to -13F (-25C) Monday. Further south, the normally balmy cities of San Antonio and Austin, Texas were expected to hit just 20F (-7C).

Wind is likely to make it feel colder than the thermometer might suggest in many parts of the country.

For many, the cold front could not come at a worse time. Hundreds of thousands of people across 11 states are without power, including over 58,000 people in Texas, 245,000 in Tennessee, 153,000 in Mississippi and 120,000 in Louisiana.

In total, nearly 800,000 people are without electricity, according to data from the PowerOutage.us website.