The storm

Parts of the US are braced for potentially record-breaking low temperatures as a "polar vortex" brings more freezing weather. winter storm has already blanketed areas of !anada and the north-eastern US with up to "ft #$% cm& of snow. 't has been blamed for ($ deaths in recent days and the cancellation of more than )*+%% flights this weekend. Schools in !hicago are among those closing as officials tell people to stay indoors on ,onday. ,eanwhile* a plane from -oronto slid into snow as it turned onto a taxiway after landing at .ew /ork0s 123 airport on Sunday. .o-one was hurt in the incident but all flights at the airport were suspended for two hours because of icy runways.-he plunging temperatures result from the polar vortex* an anti-clockwise pool of cold* dense air. -he vortex has been very strong* with the cold air locked in to rctic !anada for a long time. Stuck in one place* the air has got colder and colder. !old air is dense so once it is released it travels a long way and that is why it is penetrating so far southwards* 1ohn 4ammond from the 55! 6eather !entre says. -emperatures in the north and central US could feel as low as -$%2 #-7(!& with the effect of wind chill* forecasters say. uthorities have warned residents to remain indoors* both for their own safety and to keep roads clear for snow removal. 'n !anada* thousands of people on the island of .ewfoundland remain without power due to a transformer fire linked to heavy snow.

London's Weather
-uesday#("-+ gradi& 6indy* coastal gales. Sunshine and showers again* with the showers heavy at times and also possibly prolonged. 6indy* with coastal gales. 8utlook for 6ednesday to 2riday 6ednesday#("-$& sunny spells and isolated showers* then occasionally heavy rain arriving through the evening. -hursday#(%-9& rain* sometimes heavy* gradually clearing away eastwards. 2riday#:-7& chilly start* mainly dry and bright.