The unrelenting and record-breaking heat is expected to continue this week in parts of South America.
Temperatures in Chile, Argentina, and Paraguay are expected to reach the mid-to-high 30s Celsius, with maximum temperatures reaching 40C in northern Argentina.
These temperatures are at least 5 to 10 degrees Celsius above the climatological average, and the extreme heat is expected to last until the middle of February.
Extremes Of Heat And Cold Hit South And North America
JAVIER TORRES/AFP via Getty Images
Heat has already killed at least 23 people in this part of the world, with at least 39 wildfires raging across Chile, as per The Guardian.
Low relative humidity of 20% to 50% and a lack of significant rainfall in this region have exacerbated the risk of wildfire spread, causing at least 40,000 hectares of land to be damaged.
Meanwhile, parts of Europe, including the Balkans, Greece, and Turkey, will experience a cold spell this week, with temperatures falling 10 to 15 degrees Celsius below the seasonal average.
Minimum temperatures will fall to between -10 and -20 degrees Celsius, with the coldest temperatures expected to be in the Dinaric Alps during the middle of this week.
Strong winds and heavy snowfall are also expected in Turkey, with maximum snowfall accumulations of more than a meter expected across the Pontic Mountains in the country's north during the first part of this week.
Turkish Airlines has already canceled 240 domestic and international flights from Istanbul International Airport in preparation for the impending cold weather.
Last week, a severe cold snap hit Canada and the northeastern United States.
Threat-to-life warnings were issued in several states as a result of the dangerously low temperatures and strong winds, with officials warning that hypothermia and frostbite could develop in minutes.
A number of cities also established warming centers to protect the homeless.
Temperatures at the summit of Mount Washington in New Hampshire dropped to -47F (-44C) on February 4, the coldest February temperature ever recorded in the state.
A wind chill temperature of -108F (-78C) was also recorded at the station, making it the coldest recorded in the continental US.
In addition, the city of Boston, Massachusetts, declared a state of emergency. On 4 February, the city's minimum air temperature was -10F (-23C), the coldest since January 1957.
Storm Forming In Texas; Heavy Snow Possible In Washington
Brandon Bell/Getty Images
Snow is expected in parts of the West and Rockies, and severe thunderstorms may form in Texas on Monday, just days after the state was hit by a brutal ice storm that froze roads and killed at least seven people.
A polar vortex brought freezing and, in some cases, record-breaking temperatures to the majority of the United States.
According to the National Weather Service, the East now expects temperatures to be above average for early February, with some regions experiencing temperatures 20 to 30 degrees above average.
"We're looking at seasonable or even warmer-than-average conditions for the majority of the country," AccuWeather meteorologist Alan Reppert told USA TODAY.
According to AccuWeather senior meteorologist Adam Douty, a storm will strengthen in Texas late Monday into Tuesday, "bringing the region's next round of wet weather and severe thunderstorms."
Thunderstorms were expected to begin Tuesday morning in the eastern part of the state and develop into severe thunderstorms by Tuesday midday.
As Texas braced for more severe weather on Sunday night, thousands of residents were still without power.
According to USA TODAY Network's power outage database, more than 32,000 homes and businesses in eastern Texas were without power Monday after an icy winter storm passed through the area last week.
Travis County, which includes Austin, had the most outages.
The Cascade Range in Washington state, east of Seattle, was under a winter storm watch, with heavy snow possible late Monday through Wednesday.
With gusty winds, parts of the region could receive six to 30 inches of snow. Travel may be difficult or impossible in some areas, according to the National Weather Service.
