Deep Chill Sets in Across U.S. From Fargo to Florida

Jan. 19, 2008 — -- Arctic air is freezing the upper Midwest, blasting brutally cold temperatures and extreme wind chills through North Dakota, Minnesota and Wisconsin, into Illinois and Indiana, and down to Missouri and parts of Iowa.

For weeks, cold air has been building in the polar regions of Siberia and Canada, but now the jet stream is blasting that air south. The effects of this so-called Siberian Express are being felt this weekend as far south as the Carolinas and Georgia.

"Not only is it one cold air mass, but we're going to continue to see an area of enforcement of cold air over the next five or seven days," Accuweather senior meteorologist Bernie Rayno said.

Minnesota was in a deep freeze this morning. The warmest temperature in the state was minus 11, with a minus 20 wind chill, and the coldest town — International Falls — dropped to minus 41 with the wind chill. The bitter cold has even left a 53-foot waterfall near Minneapolis frozen solid.

Despite the subzero temperatures, Minneapolis is hosting the U.S. Pond Hockey Tournament this weekend on Lake Nokomis, where 200 teams from the United States and Canada are participating in what is America's largest pond hockey tournament.

Throughout Wisconsin, west winds combined with arctic air are creating wind chills around minus 30. Highs today are expected to be around minus 5 in the northwest part of the state and 5 in the southeast, with lows tonight expected to hit minus 25 in the northwest and minus 10 in the southeast. In the coldest spot — Antigo — the wind chill was minus 40.

The frigid temperatures will last into Sunday when the Green Bay Packers host the New York Giants at Lambeau Field, playing for a spot in the Super Bowl. The temperature at the 5:30 p.m. kickoff is expected to be 1 above with a minus 15 wind chill.

For fans at the game frostbite is a real danger, because it can occur in 20 to 30 minutes when wind chills create temperatures between minus 15 and minus 35. To help fans stay warm, Mills Fleet Farm will be giving out 30,000 hand warmers at the game.

Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre said he's not worried about the cold.

"Weather is not a factor, and mentally you have to try to block that out and rise to the occasion," Favre said.

As for the frozen fans headed to Lambeau, they're being warned to reduce their alcohol consumption. Drinking may make you feel warmer, but in fact experts say you're not and so the result of loosening a scarf or taking off a hat can be hypothermia.

Millions are being warned to stay indoors and avoid driving, but for many that's not an option.

"I'm wearing lots and lots of clothes. I'm dressing like a Russian," joked Chicago resident Claudette Miller this morning.

"We have to work slower. It's a lot harder. Icy conditions — it's a lot more dangerous out here," Ron Maitling from the Chicago Fire Department said.

Claudine Lee is a traffic control worker in Chicago who spends much of her day standing out in the streets.

"It's cold, it's cold, but you learn to adjust. … You get your little hand warmers and your little footsies," she said.

In North Dakota though, Gov. John Hoeven is making the best of the freezing temperatures by declaring today "Winter Fun Day" and encouraging residents to ski, snowmobile and ice-fish.

The cold is expected to move east Sunday, bringing a bitter chill to Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and the Northeast. Areas from Maine to Pennsylvania should expect highs no warmer than the teens, weather forecasters said.

ABC News' Eric Horng, Kira Mesdag and Olivia Sterns contributed to this report.