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Mars Warmer Than Earth as Cold Snap Grips US
5 Dec
Summary
- Minneapolis temperatures dropped below Mars' surface temp.
- A polar vortex is expected to bring Arctic air through December.
- Multiple cold blasts are predicted for the US through the new year.
Northern cities are experiencing an intense Arctic cold front, with Minneapolis, Minnesota, recording temperatures colder than Mars' surface. On Thanksgiving Day, Minneapolis temperatures dropped to 27 degrees Fahrenheit, significantly below the historical average and even colder than the approximately 30 degrees recorded on Mars by NASA's Curiosity Rover.
The unusual phenomenon is attributed to a disrupted polar vortex, which is pushing frigid Arctic air southward into the United States. Meteorologists predict this cold spell is the first of at least three anticipated cold blasts that will impact the central and eastern US through mid-December, bringing subzero temperatures and snowstorms.
While Mars' thin atmosphere typically leads to extreme temperature fluctuations, Earth's atmosphere usually retains heat more effectively. However, this recent cold snap highlights the severity of the current weather patterns. Residents across the Dakotas, Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, and parts of the Northeast should prepare for continued frigid conditions and winter weather.
