Dangerously low temperatures were measured in the Rocky Mountains, the American Midwest and the central part of the USA - minus 34 degrees Celsius.
In Oregon, Texas and Louisiana, more than 120.000 homes and businesses were left without power. Traffic is disrupted and authorities are urging people to avoid driving, as roads are dangerously slippery, and snow and ice can cause trees and power lines to fall.
Classes were canceled Tuesday for students in Portland, but also in other major cities - Chicago, Denver, Dallas, Fort Worth, across New England, New York and Washington. In Washington, the offices of the federal government were also closed.
At least four people died in Portland due to extremely cold temperatures. Three homeless people died in Wisconsin, most likely from hypothermia. In Kentucky, police were using helicopters to rescue campers from the snowstorm, and in Louisiana, they were trying to move vehicles from twisted bridges and roads.
Freezing rain and sleet are expected in the southeastern United States on Tuesday as well. Winter storm warnings have been issued for Alabama, Tennessee, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi.
Moderate to heavy snowfall is forecast from the Mid-Atlantic to New England. Up to 20 centimeters of snow is forecast to fall in New York.
In the areas of the Rocky Mountains and the Midwest, temperatures around minus 30 degrees Celsius are again expected.
Bitterly cold temperatures disrupted air traffic, delayed American football games and were expected to reduce turnout at the Iowa caucuses, where the election race officially began with voting for the Republican presidential nominee.
At the caucuses, which were held at a record low temperature of minus 19, former President Donald Trump won.
Air traffic across the US has been disrupted, with flights being delayed or cancelled. Flight tracking site FlightAware registered 3.300 flight cancellations on Monday alone, and 1.300 cancellations were registered on the US East Coast on Tuesday morning alone.
The cold is expected to ease a bit by mid-week, but a new wave of ice is expected at the weekend.
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