The United States and Canada were hit by record snowfalls and frosts. In Europe, drivers stuck on the highway are being rescued; in the USA, the airport froze and snow fell in the Sahara Desert. What is winter like in America?

Very difficult weather situation in Europe and America. In Spain and France, the situation is so difficult that the military had to be deployed to help drivers of cars covered in snow. There are dead and wounded. Cataclysms even reached the desert. Snow in the Sahara is no longer a fantasy.

Kilometer-long traffic jams cut off northwestern Spain from Madrid. Almost four thousand cars are trapped in snow. People returning home after the Christmas holidays were forced to spend the night in their cars. The snowstorm covered the roads with a half-meter layer of snow. All day long, cars are dug out with shovels and pulled out with heavy trucks, but you can’t go far on such a route.

Military and firefighters distribute water and fuel. Drivers' patience is running out. The weather forecast is still disappointing - snow and frost.

“I’ve been hanging here since last night, since seven o’clock. To be honest, we feel angry, no one informs us or really helps us,” the truck driver worries.

And further north, in the French Alps, the highest avalanche threat in 30 years has been declared. Dozens of ski resorts are closed. In the central and northern regions of the country, storm winds and precipitation led to the death of six people. Two more are listed as missing - they were last seen near rivers that overflowed their banks. The water level in the Seine is approaching critical levels. Local residents were warned that the likelihood of flooding is extremely high.

“Our cellar is safe for now, but if the water continues to rise, it could flood everything,” says restaurateur Olivier Grenoulet.

In Germany, shipping on the Rhine was stopped. The water keeps coming. In Cologne and Dusseldorf it reached nine meters, which is three times higher than normal. Streets and houses are flooded. Shops and cafes are closed.

Against this background is an unexpected spring in Romania. Plus 10. Vacationers swim in the Black Sea.

“The water is just great! At first it seems cool, but, you know, it can be colder here in the summer than it is now!” - says a local resident.

An explosive cyclone rages in the United States. In New York state, waterfalls froze, and local residents dubbed the still active fountains ice volcanoes. Frost damaged the water supply of one of the Kennedy Airport terminals. The country's largest airport is in chaos. Suitcases piled up in heaps are flooded with water; the schedule of departures and arrivals changes every hour. The city's hotels are overcrowded with passengers who cannot fly home.

“My flight was cancelled. I found out that there are no flights at all, I don’t know where to go now,” says the confused passenger.

In Western Carolina, schools are closed due to cold weather. Record low temperatures in Boston. Residents cross the blocked city roads on skis.

On the East Coast, the frozen Atlantic Ocean is becoming more and more like the Arctic Ocean! But is it any wonder if today snow caps covered the sands of the Sahara Desert?!

Illustration copyright Getty Images Image caption The cause of heavy snowfall in the USA and Canada was a “bomb cyclone”

The East Coast of the United States is in the grip of record frosts. The day before, due to the cyclone, heavy snowfall occurred over a large area of ​​the coast, even affecting the state of Florida in the south.

Temperatures in some areas of the United States and Canada are expected to drop to -29 degrees, the National Weather Service said.

In the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, tens of thousands of people were left without electricity due to strong winds.

Huge storm surges partially flooded parts of the coast of New England (the American region that includes the states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont).

Extreme weather was responsible for the deaths of 19 people in the United States and two people in Canada.

Deaths were reported in North Carolina, Wisconsin, Kentucky and Texas. Most of the fatalities resulted from car accidents and extreme cold.

Temperatures will continue to drop in the coming days as cold Arctic air heads toward the US Atlantic coast, forecasters say.

The National Weather Service said: "The arrival of arctic air will cause average temperatures in the northeastern United States to be 20 to 30 degrees Fahrenheit below normal. Temperature records may be broken in some areas."

According to experts, the so-called “bomb cyclone” formed and gained its power in the Caribbean Sea.

Illustration copyright Getty Images Image caption Temperatures in some areas are expected to drop to -29 degrees

On Friday, 1,200 flights were canceled, down from 4,000 the day before.

Indiana State Police have jokingly issued an arrest warrant for the lead character in Disney's Frozen.

Queen Elsa is wanted for persistent nuisance, the police department said in a news release.

Massive power outages in Canada

A severe snow storm hit the Atlantic coast of Canada and its central part.

The provinces of New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador are under both a winter storm warning and a heavy snow warning.

The energy company Nova Scotia Power reported that in the province of Nova Scotia, due to strong winds, the speed of which reached 140 km/h, approximately 125 thousand customers were left without electricity.

Power outages were also reported in the provinces of New Brunswick and Newfoundland.

A cold weather warning has been issued in Ontario and Quebec.

Quebec is also preparing for snowfall, gusty winds and storm surges.

Illustration copyright EPA Image caption Flooding reported in some coastal areas of Massachusetts

More than a foot of snow fell in Massachusetts.

A tide gauge located in Boston Harbor, which is used to measure sea level fluctuations, recorded a record increase of 4 m 60 cm. Such a result was noted there only once - during a snowfall in 1978.

As a result of flooding in Boston, a seaside neighborhood and a subway station were damaged. The city's mayor, Marty Walsh, blamed the situation on global warming.

"If anyone wants to question global warming, look at where the flood zones are," he said.

Illustration copyright Getty Images Image caption More than 30 cm of snow fell in Boston

Energy companies on the East Coast of the United States and Canada are advising residents to leave their homes and take shelter elsewhere if heating problems arise.

The storm closed hundreds of schools and businesses in New York, Philadelphia, Boston, North and South Carolina, Maryland and Virginia.

Panicked New Yorkers began sweeping milk, eggs, and cabbage off store shelves even before the storm arrived, the New York Times reported.

Snow also fell in the southern US state of Florida, where due to the cold, iguanas began to freeze and fall from trees, losing their grip.

Ten US states have declared a national emergency.

Over the last century.

So far, nine deaths are known. The leading cause of death is car accidents. The Associated Press reports that about a thousand accidents occurred due to snowfall.

Up to 60 centimeters of snow fell in the federal capital of Washington. 46 centimeters of snow fell in western Kentucky.

In New Jersey, according to the agency, about 80 thousand people were affected by power outages. Outages were also observed in Virginia, where the number of victims was 8 thousand people.

Authorities also warned of the possibility of flooding in New Jersey.

Several million people in different states are unable to leave their homes due to the storm. Before this, there were reports of queues in stores as people stocked up to wait out the bad weather.

In many states, road traffic, rail and air services have been stopped, and all government offices have been closed. More than 7,600 flights were canceled on Friday and Saturday. In Washington, the subway system was completely closed, and more than 1 thousand people were sent to maintain the operation of the New York subway.

Despite warnings from authorities, many motorists took to the roads and found themselves trapped in their vehicles due to the snowfall. Several dozen cars were blocked on one of the Kentucky highways. Authorities said the traffic jam had been cleared. Before this, emergency services provided water, food and fuel to drivers. No one died as a result of the jam.

Pennsylvania authorities also reported cars stuck on the roads, and the authorities sent the National Guard to their aid.

The US National Weather Service reports that this storm could be among the top 10 most dangerous. It could potentially affect 50 million people. Snowfall will continue on Sunday. Meteorologists say damage could exceed $1 billion.

Most of the US experienced record low temperatures, exacerbated by heavy snowfalls, reports Associated Press.

The National Weather Service issued a severe frost warning for areas from South Texas to Canada and from Montana to Maine. Arctic cold caused a water tower in Iowa to freeze and ferry service was suspended in New York State.

Niagara Falls is partially frozen on the US-Canada border. Due to the rather cold weather in North America, there was an illusion that the famous waterfall had “paused.” Although the stream itself did not freeze.

Record cold temperatures also caused school closures in several states. School districts in Iowa, Massachusetts, Indianapolis and northeast Ohio have canceled or delayed the start of classes as temperatures are expected to drop 11 to 17 degrees below normal in the eastern half of the United States.

In St. Louis, where temperatures dropped 30 degrees below normal, Mayor Lyda Krewson warned it was "dangerously cold."

In the southern part of the country, where residents are not accustomed to such cold weather, authorities opened warming centers and urged local residents to check on neighbors, especially older people, to avoid tragic incidents.

The cold arrived on the East Coast about a week ago, but the situation worsened Wednesday night and Thursday. Particularly from New England to the mid-Atlantic coast, heavy snowfall is occurring. Snow and so-called freezing rain, causing icy conditions, are also possible along the southeast coast of the United States.

Unusual weather conditions impacted visibility, impacted road travel and caused some flights to be canceled at Erie International Airport. Huge snowdrifts decorate the city, but the snow continues to fall.

A snowstorm in the US state of New York caused a major accident in the Buffalo area. In total, about 22 cars collided, and many other vehicles were caught in a traffic jam. Both lanes of I-90 were closed for some time near Depew and Pembroke due to the crash. Buffalo Niagara International Airport also canceled at least three flights due to heavy snow.

In Tallahassee, Florida, snow fell for the first time in 29 years on January 3, reports Postimees with reference to American media. The snow depth reached 0.25 cm. The last time snow was seen in Florida was in 1989.

“In global society, there is an urgent need to change the consumer attitude towards life to a creative vector. After all, there is already a loss of the spiritual and moral foundation, the basis of life for which the human race exists...

What does the state calculate first when calculating the losses caused by a disaster or natural disaster that occurred on its territory? The number of victims, which tends to be underestimated, and the economic losses, which tend to be overstated. Is it possible to put human life on the level of materialism, digital statistics? These are human casualties that really could have been avoided, or at least significantly minimized the risks. Which of us wants us or our children to become just a number in statistics? Nobody". Quote from the report " " .

The East Coast of the United States is in the grip of record frosts. The day before, due to the cyclone, heavy snowfall occurred over a large area of ​​the coast, even affecting the state of Florida in the south.

A worker clears snow from the road outside the New York Stock Exchange during a snowstorm on January 4, 2018. Photo: Reuters

Temperatures in some areas of the United States and Canada are expected to drop to -29 degrees, the National Weather Service said.

In the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, tens of thousands of people were left without electricity due to strong winds.

Huge storm surges partially flooded parts of the coast of New England (the American region that includes the states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont).

Extreme weather was responsible for the deaths of 19 people in the United States and two people in Canada.

Province of Nova Scotia, Canada, January 5, 2018. Photo: Reuters

Deaths were reported in North Carolina, Wisconsin, Kentucky and Texas. Most of the fatalities resulted from car accidents and extreme cold.

Temperatures will continue to drop in the coming days as cold Arctic air heads toward the US Atlantic coast, forecasters say.

The National Weather Service said: “The arrival of arctic air will cause average temperatures in the northeastern United States to be 20 to 30 degrees Fahrenheit below normal. Perhaps temperature records will be broken in some places.”

According to experts, the so-called “bomb cyclone” formed and gained its power in the Caribbean Sea.

On Friday, 1,200 flights were canceled, down from 4,000 the day before.

A man clears snow along Wall Street during a snowstorm in New York on January 4, 2018. Photo: Reuters

Indiana State Police jokingly impersonated the main character from the Disney cartoon Frozen. Queen Elsa is wanted for persistent nuisance, the police department said in a news release.

Massive power outages in Canada

A severe snow storm hit the Atlantic coast of Canada and its central part.

The provinces of New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador are under both a winter storm warning and a heavy snow warning.

The energy company Nova Scotia Power reported that in the province of Nova Scotia, due to strong winds, the speed of which reached 140 km/h, approximately 125 thousand customers were left without electricity.

Power outages were also reported in the provinces of New Brunswick and Newfoundland.

A woman digs out her car after a winter snowstorm in Boston, USA, January 5, 2018. Photo: Reuters

A cold weather warning has been issued in Ontario and Quebec.

Quebec is also preparing for snowfall, gusty winds and storm surges.

More than a foot of snow fell in Massachusetts.

A tide gauge located in Boston Harbor, which is used to measure sea level fluctuations, recorded a record increase of 4 m 60 cm. Such a result was noted there only once - during a snowfall in 1978.

As a result of flooding in Boston, a seaside neighborhood and a subway station were damaged. Mayor of the city Marty Walsh blamed it on global warming.

“If anyone wants to question global warming, look at where the flood zones are,” he said.

Boston, USA, January 4, 2018. Photo: Reuters

Energy companies on the East Coast of the United States and Canada are advising residents to leave their homes and take shelter elsewhere if heating problems arise.

The storm closed hundreds of schools and businesses in New York, Philadelphia, Boston, North and South Carolina, Maryland and Virginia.

Panicked New Yorkers began sweeping milk, eggs, and cabbage off store shelves even before the storm arrived, the New York Times reported.

Snow also fell in the southern US state of Florida, where due to the cold, iguanas began to freeze and fall from trees, losing their grip.