Cold temperatures cause dozens of deaths in the United States

A blast of arctic air will hit two-thirds of the country this weekend, according to the National Weather Service (NWS). "While this arctic outbreak will not be as cold as the previous one, subzero temperatures will reach as far south as Missouri and Kansas this morning," the NWS said.

Deaths from cold temperatures across the country number in the dozens, with estimates ranging from 60 by NBC News to more than 80 by CBS News. Some 100 million Americans were under a wind chill warning from Florida to Montana Saturday morning, according to Fox Weather.

Authorities have asked citizens to stay indoors as much as possible. Warnings and recommendations vary from place to place, and the NWS has advised citizens to be aware of local recommendations. In Memphis, for example, MLGW asked users to boil water before consumption due to loss of pressure in the drinking water system.

Five winter storms have hit different parts of the country this month, according to a tally from The Weather Channel. These were followed by a blast of cold air that resulted in frigid temperatures in the western part of the country. However, per the NWS, "there is light at the end of this cold tunnel: temperatures will improve starting next week. An improvement that could last until the end of January.”