Extreme cold swing for North America

Temperatures plummet across Canada and parts of the US this weekend as an arctic blast moves through.

Cold Arctic air flows through Canada to the north of the USA at the weekend. Temperatures drop from over 30°C to lows of up to -35°C at the peak on Sunday.

Extreme drops in temperature are not unusual in the region. Arctic air rarely warms on its way south over the large land masses.

In Europe, on the other hand, the mild ocean waters prevent such extreme swings. The polar air warms up as it travels, alleviating the worst of the freeze.