Wind chill warnings are in effect for New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maine, Rhode Island, Vermont, and a huge portion of New York, with cold temperatures creating power outages and prompting warnings of a threat to life. It arrives as the southern United States recovers from its own winter storm.

Parts of the United States are experiencing record-breaking wind chill factors, which are so low that they are actually off the National Weather Service’s official charts.

The northeast of the country has been hit by a severe arctic blast, with Mount Washington in New Hampshire reaching a new low of -46F. (-43C).

However, the wind chill temperature is how cold individuals actually feel when they are outside and is determined by the strength and temperature of the winds.

High winds of 96mph caused a wind chill factor of -108F (-78C) on Mt Washington, well below the lowest point on the National Weather Service’s (NWS) wind chill chart, which is -98F. (-72C).

‘World’s worst weather’

Mt Washington, the highest summit in the northeastern United States, was “living up to the reputation of having the worst weather in the world,” according to the NWS.

Wind chill warnings have been issued for New Hampshire, as well as Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maine, Rhode Island, Vermont, and much of New York, where a “Code Blue” alert for subzero temperatures has been issued.