Updated Jan 17, 2024 - Science

In photos: Arctic blast brings snow and frigid temperatures across U.S.

Rebecca Falconer

Clockwise from top left: A waste collection truck driving in snowy, frigid Kansas City on Jan. 15; A truck that slid on I-87 south, near the Saugerties exit in New York on Jan. 16; A resident with a shovel on Jan. 7 in Hudson, New York, which was again slammed with snow. Photos: Tammy Ljungblad/Kansas City Star/Tribune News Service via Getty Images; New York State Thruway Authority/X; Angus Mordant/Bloomberg via Getty Images

"Record-setting" cold temperatures from an Arctic outbreak slamming much of the Lower 48 U.S. states has left over 100 million Americans under alerts from "dangerous" wind chills, per the National Weather Service.

The big picture: The winter storm that's ended a two-year snow drought along the heavily populated I-95 corridor has caused widespread travel disruptions, as snow was accumulating across the eastern Great Lakes and Northeast corridors, and significant ice was building in the West, including in Portland, Oregon.

A woman crosses a street during a cold evening as hot steam escapes from the ground in the Manhattan borough of New York on January 16, 2024. New York finally ended a record streak of more than 700 days without measurable snowfall, with a thin layer of white powder covering Central Park and other parts of America's most populous city. — A woman crosses a street during a cold evening as hot steam escapes from the ground in the Manhattan borough of New York City on Jan. 16 — after NYC finally ended a record streak of more than 700 days without measurable snowfall, with a thin layer of white powder covering Central Park and other parts of the city. Photo: Charly Triballeau/AFP via Getty Images

A supporter waits in line ahead of a rally for Republican presidential candidate, former U.S. President Donald Trump at the Atkinson Country Club on January 16, 2024 in Atkinson, New Hampshire. — A supporter waits in line ahead of a rally for former President Trump on Jan. 16 in Atkinson, New Hampshire, after the Republican presidential candidate won this week's Iowa caucuses. Photo: Brandon Bell/Getty Images

The scene at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 16, as the biggest snowfall in more than two years blankets the Washington Metropolitan area — shutting down schools and halting flights across the region. The snow forced the House of Representatives to postpone voting on a stopgap spending bill in D.C. Photo: Kent Nishimura/Getty Images

An NYC parks worker clears snow as it blankets New York City breaking two year stretch without snow on January 16, 2024 in New York City. — An NYC Department of Parks and Recreation worker clears snow on Jan. 16 as it blankets New York City, breaking a two-year stretch without snow. Photo: Roy Rochlin/Getty Images

Ice is formed on a fountain in the High Meadow Ranch area on Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2024 in Magnolia. The Magnolia neighborhood has experience a limited natural gas supply during this week's freeze, as the homeowner's association reports a damaged gas pipe caused pressure issues, according to an HOA email provided to the Chronicle. — Ice is formed on a fountain in the High Meadow Ranch area on Tuesday, Jan. 16 in Magnolia, Texas. Photo: Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images

: Icicles are formed on a sign at a convenience store along FM2920 on Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2024 in Spring. — Icicles are formed on a sign at a convenience store in Spring, Texas, on Jan. 16. Photo: Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images

A woman walks after snowfall in Secaucus city of New Jersey, United States on January 16, 2024. — A woman walks after snowfall in Secaucus, New Jersey, on Jan. 16. Photo: Islam Dogru/Anadolu via Getty Images

Blades of grass are frozen in water as water shoots out of an above-ground pipe on Shepherd Street during freezing temperatures on Jan. 16 in Houston, Texas. — Blades of grass are frozen in water during freezing temperatures on Jan. 16 in Houston, Texas. Photo: Elizabeth Conley/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images

Go deeper: How freezing temperatures are affecting electric vehicles

Editor's note: This is a breaking news story and will be updated with more photos as they come in.

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In photos: Arctic blast brings snow and frigid temperatures across U.S.

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