NEW HAMPSHIRE, USA — History unfolded at the Mount Washington Observatory Friday.
The air temperature there reached 45 degrees below zero, which is just a few degrees shy of the record at that site. However, winds gusted to over 100 mph which made that -45 degree temperature feel much colder.
In fact, the Mount Washington Observatory recorded a wind chill of 108 degrees below zero Friday, making it the coldest wind chill ever recorded in the U.S.
A dangerous arctic freeze gripped parts of the Northeast and New England Friday. Frigid air and strong blustery winds created a dangerous mix.
"I've never experienced this cold before," Aaron Toman, a Boston resident, said.
“I’m wearing like 60 layers right now,' said Frankie Mathews, who was visiting from North Carolina. "I’ve got two pairs of pants on, three shirts and a sweater and a longer jacket. Like I am just ready to rock and roll.”
Boston's public transit system brought in extra crews because it was concerned rails could crack. Schools started to shut down to keep students safe.
In New York City, officials have activated "Code Blue" in order to bring those experiencing homelessness into shelters.
Texas winter weather
Texas also experienced a cold snap that left hundreds of thousands of residents without power due to ice on power lines.
The mayor of Austin issued an apology Friday for the city’s failure to prepare and respond to the widespread power outages.
“As mayor, I accept responsibility on behalf of the city and I apologize that we’ve let the people down in Austin,” Mayor Kirk Watson said.
There is no word on when power will be fully restored.
In Dallas, black ice continued to impact the area as of Friday.
There have been no reports of deaths from this week's power outages, though the storm and freeze have been blamed for at least 12 traffic fatalities on slick roads in Texas, Arkansas and Oklahoma.
