Polar vortex brings winter storm to central US

Eastern parts of the country likely to experience bone-chilling cold from today, say forecasters

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A major, disruptive winter storm was sweeping across the central US on Sunday, forecasters said, bringing with it a dreaded combination of snow, ice and plunging temperatures. The National Weather Service issued winter storm warnings from Kansas and Missouri where blizzard conditions are expected to New Jersey.

In the two states where blizzard warnings were in effect, travel "could be very difficult to impossible," with snow whipped around by high winds reducing visibility, the NWS said. Gusty winds could bring down tree branches.

"Do not travel unless necessary!" the NWS said.

The polar vortex of ultra-cold air usually stays penned up around the North Pole, spinning like a top. But sometimes it escapes or stretches down to the US, Europe or Asia and that's when large numbers of people experience intense doses of cold.