The arctic blast is sending chills through the northeastern part of the country.
The northeastern United States experienced a severe cold spell on Saturday, which created life-threatening conditions due to the combination of low temperatures and strong winds.
This weather event caused a national windchill record in New Hampshire and was responsible for the tragic death of an infant in Southwick, Massachusetts.
Arctic blast claims infant's life
As reported by TODAY, the devastating effects of the arctic blast that hit the northeastern United States have claimed at least one life. On Friday, the powerful winds were responsible for the death of an infant in Southwick, Massachusetts.
According to a statement from the Hampden district attorney's office, a tree branch fell on a vehicle driven by a 23-year-old woman from Winstead, Connecticut, causing serious injuries to the driver. It also killed the six-month-old infant with the mother in the vehicle.
The arctic temperatures and strong winds are expected to bring "dangerously cold wind chill temperatures" to the Northeast region, along with blizzard conditions through northern Maine, according to forecasters.
The arctic blast originated from eastern Canada and brought record-low temperatures to several cities, including Albany, New York; Augusta, Maine; Rochester, New York; and Worcester, Massachusetts.
According to Reuters, in addition to the harsh weather conditions, the National Weather Service in Caribou, Maine, reported that it had received reports of frost quakes, which are tremors that mimic earthquakes but are caused by the sudden cracking of soil in the cold.
The office also received reports of trees splitting open, likely due to sap freezing inside the trunks.
Additionally, schools in Boston and Worcester, the two largest cities in New England, were among those that closed last Friday due to the dangerously cold weather.
Officials were concerned about the potential health risks posed to children during such frigid temperatures.
Parents and guardians remain worried about the risk of hypothermia and frostbite for children who may have to walk to school or wait for buses in such intense cold.
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Arctic blast shatters record lows in Northeast US
On Saturday, according to CNN, about 15 million people in the United States were under wind chill alerts; however, as the extreme cold began to subside, that number dropped to less than 1 million by midday.
In response to the life-threatening cold, several cities took emergency measures to help their residents, such as opening warming centers and reaching out to the homeless population to ensure they had a place to take refuge from the harsh weather.
In Worcester, Massachusetts, the temperature dropped to -13 degrees, breaking the previous daily record of -4.
Similarly, in Providence, Rhode Island, the temperature reached -9 degrees, surpassing the previous daily record of -2, while Hartford, Connecticut, recorded -9 degrees, breaking the previous daily record of -8.
Government leaders urged people to stay inside if possible due to the hazardous weather conditions. Wind chill warnings and advisories were issued across New York State and New England.
The weather service also warned that high winds could cause power outages and damage property in the northern Rocky Mountain Front and the High Plains.
