USA's winter of 2014 filled with inclement weather

Mid-november, winter appears to have already set itself up fully across the USA. At the start of the year, the first cold spell affected the whole country. 

Everything is ready for your trip to the USA: ESTA authorisation in your pocket, plane tickets purchased, hotel reserved… But have you checked the weather? If you are heading to the states soon, it might be a good idea to repack!

Hat, gloves and a thick coat might be wise, as since last week, temperatures have seriously dropped in the USA: thermometers went from showing 25°C to -5°C in less than three hours!

The snowstorm that hit the middle of the states has three quarters of the country concerned, and plenty of tourists too. However, the icy cold that is still freezing the country is even more impressive: from the time that meteorological records began, the country has never experienced such a cold autumn.

This fierce winter is due to the polar vortex, a stream of cold air heading south from the Arctic. In many states, the cold has beaten monthly records; Arkansas has never seen snow so early in the year and the Great Lakes region is experiencing a lot of snowfall caused by the ‘lake-effect’.

On the flip side, this capricious weather has caused the temperature in Alaska to hover around 2°C, whereas the normal peak is -14°C. This slight relief from the extreme cold has never been seen in this season. And the bizarre effects stretch down to Southern California, where hot, dry winds are causing fears of forest fires. The LA meteorological service has seen branches fall from trees and power cuts.

Meteorologists say that this bitter cold will disappear as quickly as it arrived. We hope.

Nevertheless, with a cup of hot coffee in your hand, seeing the city in bad weather is a superb experience.

Good luck, and dress up warm!