The Big Chill

The polar vortex left its mark, from the Great Plains to the Atlantic

1 Thrill seekers carry sleds through Montrose Beach Park in Chicago, where temperatures plunged to -16°F (-42°F with windchill)

2 A woman walks through a blizzard in downtown Chicago

3 Snow flurries virtually eclipse the Chicago skyline, seen here from a frozen Lake Michigan

4 Firefighters catch their breath after battling a four-alarm fire overnight in North Attleboro, Mass., where temperatures dropped below 0°F

5 A homeless man endures frigid temperatures in Washington

6 Buildings and power lines in Scituate, Mass., are encased in ice produced by ocean spray

7 The banks of Lake Michigan in Milwaukee remain frozen after days...

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