AMMAN — The Foreign Ministry has expressed Jordan’s condolences and sympathy to the government and people of the United States over the victims of the snowstorm that swept several states.

 

The minstry spokesperson Fouad Majali voiced Jordan’s full solidarity with the US government and people, wishing a speedy recovery to the injured.

 

Majali said the ministry, through the Jordanian Embassy in Washington, is closely following up on the situation of Jordanians in the US.

 

He urged Jordanians residing in areas affected by the snowstorm to exercise caution, adhere to instructions issued by US authorities, and contact the ministry for assistance around the clock.

 

At least 23 people died of extreme winter storm that brought hazardous conditions to a wide swath of the United States, according to a compilation of state government and local media reports, with causes including hypothermia as well as accidents related to traffic, sledding, ATVs and snowplows.

 

Forecasters warned that much of the northern half of the country will see temperatures that are "continuously below freezing through February 1," and "record low temperatures tonight across the South are particularly dangerous in the wake of the weekend winter storm with many still without power," the National Weather Service said in an X post.

 

While skies began clearing in parts the country, relentless snowfall in the northeast meant parts of Connecticut saw over 56 cm of snow, with more than 40.6 cm recorded in Boston, Massachusetts, AFP reported.

 

One man was found in the snow unresponsive with a shovel in his hand.

 

In New York City, eight more people were found dead amid plummeting temperatures, and an investigation to determine the causes was underway. It was not known if all of these fatalities were storm-related.

 

Approximately 190 million people in the United States were under some form of extreme cold alert, the National Weather Service (NWS) told AFP.

 

The Great Lakes region's residents woke up to extreme temperatures that could cause frostbite on exposed skin within minutes. In parts of Minnesota and Wisconsin, the NWS reported early Monday morning temperatures as low as -23F (-30.6C), with windchills exacerbating the bite.

 

Polar vortex

 

At least 20 states and the capital Washington were under states of emergency in order to deploy emergency personnel and resources.

 

The snowfall and biting icy pellets that pummeled cities left impassable roads along with canceled buses, trains and flights -- thousands of departures and arrivals were scrapped over the weekend.

 

The storm system was the result of a stretched polar vortex, an Arctic region of cold, low-pressure air that normally forms a relatively compact, circular system but sometimes morphs into a more oval shape, sending cold air pouring across North America.

 

Scientists say the increasing frequency of such disruptions may be linked to climate change, though the debate is not settled and natural variability plays a role.

 

Dave Radell, a NWS meteorologist based in New York, told AFP that the character of this storm's snow was "very dry" and "fluffy," meaning the wind could lash it around with ease, impeding roadway-clearing efforts and visibility.

 

"That makes it even more challenging," he said.