National Weather Service warns of 'the coldest air many of us will have ever experienced'

The majority of Americans are about to experience some seriously cold weather, and in some states, the temperatures could hit record lows.

The National Weather Service says that in the coming days, as a polar vortex sweeps through the Midwest and the Great Lakes, parts of the country may experience "the coldest air in a generation," CNN reports. Temperatures in some states will likely "shatter dozens of records" and drop as low as 40 degrees below zero. In Chicago, for instance, the temperature may come close to reaching a new record of 29 degrees below zero as residents are warned of "life-threatening extreme cold" that "can lead to rapid onset of frostbite and hypothermia," per The Washington Post.

USA Today reports that in the northern Plains, there are some areas where the wind chill will likely bring temperatures as low as 64 degrees below zero, and Indiana may reach an all-time low of 50 degrees below zero with wind chill. "This is the coldest air many of us will have ever experienced," the National Weather Service said, adding that when outside in these areas, you should "avoid taking deep breaths, and minimize talking."

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