How severe is the current winter weather across the United States?

The current winter weather is extremely severe, with wind chills in Montana plummeting to a dangerous -64 degrees on Tuesday. A major winter storm is affecting the southern United States, bringing snow and sleet to multiple areas and creating hazardous driving conditions that have already led to highway crashes in states like Arkansas. The widespread impact of this polar vortex has placed over 87 million people across 22 states under extreme cold advisories, with Texas experiencing temperatures as low as 19 degrees - a dramatic 40-degree drop from the previous day.