NEW YORK, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- An Arctic air mass kept its grip on much of the central and eastern United States on Friday, plunging temperatures to record lows as snow-blanketed central Colorado and the Pacific Northwest braced for an atmospheric river.
"A vast swath of the country was under cold weather advisories, with some Gulf Coast states under freeze warnings early Friday morning," said USA Today on Friday. Forecasters said parts of Florida could experience wind chills as low as 17 degrees; North Texas faced wind chills of 10 below zero.
Forecasters warned residents across the South to wear appropriate clothing, wrap their pipes and keep their pets indoors. Such low temperatures "could result in hypothermia or frostbite if precautions are not taken," said the weather service office in Jacksonville, Florida.
