Winter storm: North America hit by blizzards and heat wave

A fierce wintertime tempest has caused wide disruptions successful the US, portion south-eastern parts of the state brace for record-high temperatures.

As of Wednesday, astir 75 cardinal radical successful 28 states person been placed nether wintertime upwind alerts.

Blizzards successful the Dakotas, Minnesota and Wisconsin person forced galore schools and businesses to close.

Meanwhile, precocious temperatures successful Washington DC are expected to interruption a astir 150-year-old record.

It means immoderate parts of the US volition beryllium 100F (38C) warmer than others astatine the aforesaid time.

Powerful upwind gusts perchance reaching 50mph (80km/h) and a upwind chill arsenic debased arsenic -50F successful immoderate parts are predicted.

In bluish states, forecasts of up to 2ft (60cm) of snowfall successful immoderate parts could mean areas endure their biggest snowfalls for 30 years.

Minnesota's politician Tim Walz said the National Guard volition beryllium disposable to assistance motorists who go stuck successful the blizzard conditions there. The authorities whitethorn interruption its grounds for snowfall, officials said.

Forecasters said the tempest strategy could span 1,300 miles from Nebraska to New Hampshire.

More than 5,000 flights person been cancelled successful the US arsenic a effect of the storm.

Icy upwind is besides forecast for typically sunny and lukewarm Los Angeles, California, wherever a uncommon blizzard informing has been issued. Major snowfall and winds up to 75mph are forecast successful the mountains and foothills of Ventura and Los Angeles County.

All of California's 39 cardinal residents volition beryllium capable to spot snowfall either falling astir them oregon settling astatine the tops of adjacent mountains, said Daniel Swain, a clime idiosyncratic astatine the University of California-Los Angeles.

As of Wednesday night, frigid temperatures of -9F person been recorded successful parts of Montana.

Meanwhile, overmuch of the confederate US is basking successful unusually precocious temperatures for this clip of year. On Wednesday, McAllen, Texas, recorded a sweltering 95F.

The vigor connected Wednesday successful Lexington, Kentucky, and Nashville, Tennessee, shattered records stretching backmost much than a century.

Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Atlanta and different US cities besides saw grounds highs.

Washington DC could deed 80F connected Thursday, which would interruption a grounds acceptable successful 1874.

Orlando, Florida, could deed 90F and New Orleans, Louisiana, could notch 84F.

"All winter, we've seen this persistent pattern, wherever the occidental US is seeing below-average temperatures and the eastbound US is seeing above-average temperatures," clime idiosyncratic Andrew Kruczkiewicz, a researcher astatine Columbia University, told BBC News.

Large parts of the state are nether upwind alerts, including Toronto, which is expecting 4-10in (10-15cm) of snow, crystal pellets and imaginable freezing rain.

The wintertime tempest has besides halted flights. Air Canada had cancelled astir a 4th of its scheduled flights by Wednesday afternoon.

The state conscionable had record-breaking lukewarm temperatures for February. Now, parts of Toronto could spot important crystal build-up arsenic a effect of this caller acold snap.

Parts of Alberta and the prairies are facing utmost acold warnings, with temperatures dropping successful immoderate regions into the -40F (-40C) scope with upwind chill.

Have you been affected by the wintertime storm? Share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.

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