A polar vortex dipping down from Siberia is bringing a cold front with frigid temperatures to millions Americans. See maps of the arctic blast.

I’ve been convinced that we are about to experience a very serious and dangerous weather episode,” Houston Mayor John Whitmire said Sunday.

Rising temperatures, a melting Arctic and increasing global water and resource scarcity are behind United States President Donald Trump's threats to make Canada the 51st American state.

A blast of Arctic air is bringing cold weather to New England over the next several days. Wind chill values in the mornings are going to be 0 to 15 below, with the coldest areas across the hillier terrain of Worcester County and the Berkshires.

Heavy snow is expected to blanket large portions of the Eastern U.S. while much of the country will endure dangerously cold temperatures in the coming days.

WEEKEND: It will remain mostly sunny Saturday with highs reaching the low 40s. Clouds and a stray shower is possible Sunday with highs in the low 40s. Lows will be near freezing. NEXT WEEK: There’s a small chance of a few showers with highs in the 40s Monday. Highs will remain in the 40s through Wednesday with a partly to mostly cloudy sky.

After millennia as a carbon deep-freezer for the planet, regional hotspots and increasingly frequent wildfires in the northern latitudes have nearly canceled out that critical storage capacity in the permafrost region,

Arctic air will loosen its grip on the Weather First area heading into the second half of the week as temperatures are expected to get back to near the seasonal averages for late January.High temperatures on Wednesday will climb into the middle 20s.

Recent findings indicate that the Arctic's traditional role as a planetary cooling agent is faltering, with hotspots and wildfires nearly nullifying its carbon storage capabilities. A detailed study spanning three decades reveals a shift towards a more carbon-emitting Arctic,

SAN ANTONIO - Multiple city and government agencies announced closures and delayed openings on Tuesday before the arctic blast. The City of San Antonio, in preparation for sub-freezing temperatures, sleet, and ice overnight, is closing some facilities, and adjust some non-essential operations overnight.

As the entire region braces for the incoming Arctic blast, Columbia County is taking extra precautions to ensure public safety.