Parts of the United States are bracing for record low temperatures on Wednesday, as a blast of polar air enveloped much of the Midwest and Eastern states. /VCG Photo

Millions of people in these regions experienced the freeze as temperatures dropped to far below zero. At least nine deaths linked to the weather have been reported, according to CBS News. /VCG Photo

Chicago dropped to around minus 30 degree Celsius, slightly above the city’s lowest-ever reading of minus 32 degree Celsius from January 1985. However, the chills reportedly made it feel like minus 45 degrees Celsius. /VCG Photo

The record-breaking temperatures brought heavy snowfall and fierce wind to major cities including Chicago and New York. The cities' infrastructure were also greatly influenced as schools and businesses were closed, and railways and flights were delayed and canceled. /VCG Photo

At least 2,700 flights were reportedly canceled nationwide on Wednesday and another 1,800 flights scheduled for Thursday were also called off. /VCG Photo

The deadliest cold was resulted by a split in the polar vortex, a mass of cold air that normally stays bottled up in the Arctic. The split allowed the air to spill much farther south than usual. /VCG Photo