Erin Davis/Axios Visuals All of Virginia will be freezing early this week. Why it matters: The hazardous cold could be a public health risk, threaten to burst pipes, and stress electricity grids. The big picture: A powerful Arctic outbreak tied partly to the polar vortex is set to send temperatures tumbling down to as cold as 25 to 35 degrees Fahrenheit below average for mid-January,

Temperatures are projected to remain frigid in Hampton Roads, with highs only reaching the 20s on both Tuesday and Wednesday.

Imagine the polar vortex as a giant, icy whirlpool far above the Earth, keeping frigid Arctic air contained near the north pole.

The most unusually cold air in the Northern Hemisphere will be over the United States early next week, bringing dangerously frigid conditions.

An area stretching from Texas to Tennessee braced Wednesday for the possible arrival of freezing rain and snow even as some parts of the U.S. hit by the plunging polar vortex this week began to shake off its icy effects.

It looks like it could get even colder heading into next week. Within the last decade, the phrase 'polar vortex' has become popularized in the weather world. In fact, you may have heard it getting ...

The polar vortex of ultra-cold air usually spins around the North Pole, but it sometimes ventures south into the U.S., Europe and Asia. Some experts say such cold air outbreaks are happening more frequently, paradoxically, because of a warming world.

An area stretching from Texas to Tennessee is bracing for an expected snowstorm even as some other parts of the U.S. hit by the plunging polar vortex this week are

DALLAS (AP) — An area stretching from Texas to Tennessee braced Wednesday for the possible arrival of freezing rain and snow even as some other parts of the U.S. hit by the plunging polar vortex ...

RELATED: Polar vortex is bringing bitterly cold temps to Hampton Roads next week These temperatures are unusual for our region and pose a significant challenge due to the extended duration of the ...

Two substantial storm systems may form as the polar vortex moves south. The first system is expected to form near the Mid-Atlantic coast on Sunday, bringing accumulating snow from Virginia to Maine.

WASHINGTON — Get ready for extreme cold weather in D.C. and most of the U.S. over the next few days. The polar vortex has shifted, spilling cold air across the U.S. with below freezing temperatures and subzero wind chills.