What are the impacts of the polar air mass affecting the United States?

A polar air mass is sweeping across the United States, triggering extreme cold warnings and watches from Texas to the Dakotas. Temperature conditions are dangerously low, with some areas experiencing 40 degrees below zero, Kansas City reaching negative 16, and Chicago at just one degree. These frigid temperatures are made even more dangerous by wind chill factors, creating potentially life-threatening conditions across multiple states. The widespread nature of this cold front affects millions of Americans who must take appropriate precautions against the severe winter weather.