of emergency today, and is urging people to stay off the roads over the next few days. this storm is bringing, as you ve probably heard by now, snow, freezing rain and certainly dangerous ice to parts of the country not used to severe winter weather. meanwhile, the midwest and northeast continue to feel the grip of subzero temperatures as the national propane shortage reaches critical levels. in minneapolis today, wind chills are expected to reach 50 degrees below zero. wind chill warnings and advisories are in place all the way from montana to maine. and more than 3,000 flights have been cancelled today, a majority of the cancellations from atlanta s hartsfield-jackson and houston s george bush intercontinental airport, and gabe gutierrez is in columbia, south carolina. it looks a little better, the rides behind you, than what we re seeing right now in parts of louisiana. but this is another bad few days here, gabe. reporter: that s right, tamron. the roads are doing fine so far,
closed air plunges windchills to 40 below in some states. it feels like winter has been forever. i don t know if we are in the middle of winter yet. chicago, preparing for a historic deep freeze, subzero temps that will struggle to rise above zero for another day to have the windy city in the lowest stretch of cold since 1983, forcing schools across the state closed for a second day. commuter trains to slow down. it just reduces the stress on the rails to operate a little bit slower. it is kind of a precaution. reporter: the brutal cold, near record-breaking territory say state officials. since october, iowa is experiencing the ninth coldest winter in over 100 years. cold creating a significant propane shortage across the midwest. we continue to have an exceptionally cold winter. reporter: wisconsin, the latest to declare energy emergency as thousands fear not being able to heat their homes. adding to the misery, blinding whiteout conditions in the
it reduces the stress on the rails to operate a little slower. it s a precaution. the brutal cold near record breaking territory sai state officials since october. iowa is experiencing the ninth coldest winter in over a hundred years. the cold creates a significant propane shortage across the midwest. we continue to have an exceptionally cold winter. wisconsin the latest to declare energy emergency as thousands fear not being able to heat their homes. adding to my ri, blinding whiteout conditions in the northern plains, wind gusts reaching up to 60 miles per hour blew cars off the road. in central minnesota, the howling wind caused massive snow drifts higher than this suv. the national weather service says much of the country will be shivering temperatures 30 degrees below normal through wednesday. reporter: kate, nearly two months left of winter.
as propane shortages spread. and look at the temperatures. memphis, feels like ten degrees colder than new york. look at chicago. minus 24 is the feels-like temperature, at 2:30 in the afternoon. minneapolis, minus 28. think about overnight. officials in dozens of states have already declared a state of emergency over the propane shortage, and temperatures are dangerously low and the cost of keeping warm is climbing higher. garrett is positioned in a place where his mother would say no open fires. outside of chicago. what are people doing to stay warm with the propane problem? reporter: a lot of people are throwing on a few extra layers of clothes, but for the most part they re paying a whole lot more to do it. with the shortage, the price of propane has reached the highest level it s been in more than 20 years, one guy says his heating bill just this last month is
modified because it s just too dangerous to stay outside for long periods of time in these conditions. there is also a propane shortage across the midwest so many people are looking for heating alternatives. this relentless weather pattern is really starting to wear on people in this part of the country and it s only january. the temperatures are falling here in chicago and the temperatures are supposed to remain below zero for the next two and a half days. meantime, the wintery mix is supposed to reach the deep south part of this country by tomorrow. brutal even for winter s standards. live in chicago, i m wendy woolfolk, back to you. nbc s bill karins on this deep freeze? wendy looks way too good and way too comfortable. she looks good. must have jumped out of a warm truck or something. i was going to say that. they are canceling school in the midwest because the winds are nasty. all of that is headed to the deep south. that s the big story.