These States Are as Cold as the North Pole

The Lower 48 states are beginning to feel a lot like Christmas, as frigid subzero temperatures paired with brutal wind chill have several states with temperatures as cold as the North Pole.

An arctic blast has descended from Canada into the United States, threatening many cities with the coldest Christmas they've seen in years or even decades. The frigid temperatures were expected to last the longest in the Northern Plains states and descend as far as south as Texas.

The rapidly intensifying storm, referred to as a bomb cyclone, slammed the Midwest on Thursday and created devastatingly cold temperatures and blizzard conditions during peak holiday travel season just days before Christmas.

The Norwegian Meteorological Institute reported that on Friday, the North Pole was experiencing temperatures of minus-23 degrees Celsius, or minus-9 Fahrenheit. Several states in the U.S. were experiencing temperatures of minus-9 Fahrenheit or lower, meaning they were as cold or colder than the North Pole.

The North Pole is the northernmost point of Earth's axis of rotation, according to National Geographic. There's no land mass at the North Pole and the location consists solely of ice floating on top of the Arctic Ocean. From October to March, total darkness encompasses the North Pole, often contributing to the frigid temperatures, with little or no light to warm the ice.

Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Minnesota, Michigan, Iowa and Wisconsin experienced temperatures at minus-9 or colder Friday afternoon, according to an AccuWeather temperature map.

Temperatures are expected to rise across the nation, meaning the North Pole will likely return to being much colder than the U.S. at minus-9 Fahrenheit or colder through Christmas.

And although the frigid temperatures may make Santa feel right at home for the holidays in the U.S., it can be extremely dangerous for people if they aren't protected from the elements. With wind chill factored in, many areas of the country felt as cold as minus-40 degrees in the Northern Plains and minus-30 in the Midwest, according to The Weather Channel's wind chill map.

Even areas further south, like Texas, are experiencing temperatures in the single digits, which has stressed the state's power grid. Rolling blackouts have been initiated to meet the increased demand, but the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) told Newsweek that "ERCOT expects sufficient generation to meet demand."

As the cold weather grips the U.S., there are many actions people can take to stay warm, even if their power goes out, such as utilizing alternative heat sources that are fuel-based or by preventing drafts and bundling up in winter clothes.

Newsweek reached out to AccuWeather for comment.