A Polar vortex is causing temperatures to plummet in the Midwest, making it feel like 51 below zero in Chicago with the wind chill factored in. Experts are warning people that frostbite can set in in mere minutes.
“One of the coldest arctic air mass intrusions in recent memory is surging south into the Upper Midwest before spreading across much of the eastern two-thirds of the country,” the National Weather Service said, warning of “life-threatening wind chills, likely leading to widespread record lows and low maximum temperatures.”
Even in a city that’s used to frigid weather, the subzero temperatures are causing extensive problems with Chicago’s transit system. In an effort to maintain the tracks so trains can run smoothly, rail crews are heating them up by setting them on fire.
Check out the video below from CNN to see why crews are using a medieval solution to solve a modern problem.
