As frigid temperatures marched across the United States this holiday weekend, Montana held the coldest temperature in the country.
The National Weather Service reported temperatures dropping to negative 42 degrees on Monday, recorded 13 miles north of Sulpher Spring, Montana.
Winter storm Heather breaks ‘inchless’ snow streaks
The widespread wintery weather isn’t isolated to just the Pacific Northwest. In fact, winter storm Heather has been spreading snow across the Northeastern United States, breaking over 700 days of “inchless” snow streaks, with widespread amounts of snow between 1 and 3 inches — and up to 8 inches in Northern New England.
The winter storm has prompted weather alerts across the East issued by the National Weather Service to stretch down into the Southern states, with Nashville, Tennessee, seeing more than 6 inches of snow falling Monday.
At Donahoo Fish Farms in Mississippi, the storm ripped the roof off of the building.
Northwest storm warnings include ice
Another storm off the Pacific Northwest has interacted with Arctic airmasses, leading to significant freezing rain. Wind gusts in the Columbia River Gorge to the east of Portland, Oregon, have climbed over hurricane force, knocking down trees in the Portland and Vancouver metro area.
Ice storm warnings will remain in effect through tomorrow morning, with up to half an inch of ice expected.
Heavy snow triggers Colorado avalanche
The Cascades and Northern Rockies anticipate up to 28 inches of snow, with record-breaking cold temperatures across much of the Rockies, Great Plains, and Midwest, as wind chills hit negative 30 in the Mississippi Valley on Tuesday morning.
Heavy snow from Heather even triggered an avalanche on Sunday near Winter Park, Colorado.
»Related: Potential impacts of El Niño on crop production
Wintry weather spreads frigid temps into Texas
Even Texas has been seeing some of the arctic blasts. Lake-effect snow has been reported in north Texas, with temperatures that felt subzero this morning even in Dallas, and below-freezing weather anticipated through Wednesday.
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Farmers and ranchers care for stock no matter the weather
Cold weather certainly comes with farming and ranching jobs, but that doesn’t make it any easier on those running equipment and caring for livestock in brutal conditions.
While schools and businesses shut down, farms do not. Producers trek out into the snow, rain, wind, and sleet to feed and break ice-covered waterers for livestock. Dairy cattle still need to be milked and for those in the throes of lambing, calving, or kidding season — the baby animals don’t stop just because of storms.
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