Wind chills could reach -40 degrees Fahrenheit in parts of Iowa as voters head to their precincts on Election Day.
Record-low temperatures forced many presidential candidates to cancel in-person events over the weekend. The arctic blast hit the state just days before the caucuses, just in time for the start of the Republican primary.
According to AFP news agency:
Temperatures in the capital Des Moines were around 1.4 degrees Fahrenheit (-17 degrees Celsius) and expected to drop further overnight, according to an AFP reporter at the scene, and the streets were deserted on Saturday except for snow removal workers. There wasn't.
The storm will be followed by “severe arctic cold,” with wind chills dropping below -30 degrees Fahrenheit (-34 degrees Celsius) across Iowa and the region into the weekend, the NWS said.
Monday update The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a cold wind warning for “portions of north-central and northwestern Illinois and east-central, northeastern, and southeastern Iowa.” Independence, Manchester, Dubuque, Vinton, Cedar Rapids, Anamosa, Maquoketa, Marengo, Iowa City, Tipton, Clinton, Muscatine, Davenport, Bettendorf, Sigourney, Washington, Wapello, Fairfield, Mount Pleasant, Burlington, Keosaquah and more Dozens of cities are listed. , Fort Madison, Galena, Freeport, Mount Carroll, Sterling, Moline, Rock Island, Geneseo, Princeton, Hennepin, Aledo, Okwaoka, Monmouth, and Casa.
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Jason Miller, Storyful
The wind chill warning remains in effect through Tuesday after the Iowa caucuses, warning of “dangerously cold” temperatures of 30 to 40 degrees below zero. According to the NWS, these temperatures can cause frostbite to uncovered skin within 10 minutes.
Many areas of the southern United States woke up to dangerous subzero wind chills, with NWS Wind Chill products impacting 25 states.
If you are in an affected area, avoid outdoor activities as much as possible and always wear appropriate clothing, hats, and gloves when outdoors. pic.twitter.com/OhnUReEJSU
— National Weather Service (@NWS) January 14, 2024
Another NWS warning adds, “This combination of extreme arctic air and occasional breezes will continue dangerously cold conditions through Tuesday, with windchill values as low as 35 degrees below zero.” .
It remains unclear how subzero temperatures will affect Iowa Republican voters as they head to their precincts at 8 p.m. Eastern (7 p.m. in the Hawkeye State).
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