However, a deep freeze, thanks to the polar vortex dipping down from Siberia, is about to bring even harsher arctic blast to nearly 300 million Americans starting this weekend. Maps show where and when the cold front will arrive.

A blast of Arctic air is set to cover much of the United States with temperatures below freezing starting on Friday and into next week, impacting millions of Americans in nearly all of the contiguous states.

Despite a cold start to the day, most of the U.S. will experience seasonably mild temperatures on Thursday. However, dangerous changes are on the way as a polar vortex tightens its grip on the nation as sends temperatures tumbling below freezing starting this weekend.

The bitter weather is expected to bring nighttime lows as cold as minus 31 deg C over the weekend. Read more at straitstimes.com.

Americans were bracing Thursday for frigid temperatures that forecasters said could produce life-threatening conditions, with Donald Trump's inauguration expected to be the coldest in 40 years.

The most unusually cold air in the Northern Hemisphere will be over the United States early next week, bringing dangerously frigid conditions.

Temperatures are expected to plummet over the weekend, bringing life-threatening conditions to large stretches of the United States. The polar vortex will send temperatures below freezing for much of the country starting this weekend and stretching into next week,

Perfect time to hop on a plane and go somewhere south,” FOX Weather Meteorologist Britta Merwin said. “Like, really, really far south.”

Despite a cold start to the day, most of the U.S. will experience seasonably mild temperatures on Thursday. However, dangerous changes are on the way as a polar vortex tightens its grip on the nation as sends temperatures tumbling below freezing starting this weekend.