It's like "bomb cyclone" or "firenado." It seems like the sort of phenomenon that would be responsible for the record-breaking blast of cold, snow and wintry conditions that reached all the way to the Gulf Coast this week.

Here's the latest on the winter storm. A historic winter storm is poised to produce potentially record-breaking snows from coastal Texas to northern Florida late Monday into Tuesday. The event comes as an Arctic blast affects more than half the U.

According to the National Weather Service, a polar vortex will impact most of the country this weekend, here is what you need to know.

A new blast of Arctic air sweeping from north to south will bring bone-chilling temperatures to millions of Americans this weekend and next week.

Snow and winds are likely to disrupt traffic, trigger flight cancellations, and cause headaches for people traveling to D.C. for Inauguration Day. Baby, it’s cold outside, and it’s about to get even colder for much of the United States.

However, a deep freeze, thanks to the polar vortex dipping down from Siberia, is about to bring even harsher arctic blast to nearly 300 million Americans starting this weekend. Maps show where and when the cold front will arrive.

AVERAGE LOW FOR JANUARY 18th: 15° SATURDAY’S SUNRISE: 7:32 AM SATURDAY’S SUNSET: 5:04 PM Elmira, N.Y. (WETM) – A polar vortex brings in freezing temperatures into the work week. Otherwise, we will see a lot of sunshine for the work week.

In Montreal, highs are expected to reach –15 C, with overnight lows dropping to between –20 C and –25 C, according to Gina Ressler, a meteorologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada.