Minneapolis was colder than MARS last month

"Minneapolis, Minnesota, hit 27 degrees Fahrenheit on Thanksgiving Day - and temperatures continued to drop to 10 degrees below the historical average, marking the coldest stretch in the area since February, according to the AccuWeather meteorology team. The temperatures in the city were so biting; they were even colder than on Mars, which measured a surface temperature of around 30 degrees last week, according to data recorded by NASA's Curiosity Rover."

"Mars's atmosphere is unable to trap heat like Earth's, so the planet can drop to temperatures as low as -225 degrees. The further the planets are from the Sun, the colder they typically are. Uranus and Neptune are the last planets in our solar system and can reach temperatures as low as -330 degrees, according to NASA. The brief period when Mars was warmer than Earth ended as the Sun set on both planets."

"Meanwhile, on Earth, bitter temperatures are set to continue, as meteorologists at AccuWeather warn of a polar vortex affecting the central and eastern US through December. A polar vortex occurs when strong winds form in the stratosphere above the North Pole. When the vortex is stable, it stays above the North Pole, but if it's disrupted, warm air moves North while cold air moves South."

An Arctic cold front is sweeping the United States and producing bitter conditions in northern cities. Minneapolis fell to 27°F on Thanksgiving and then to temperatures about 10 degrees below the historical average, marking the coldest stretch there since February. Temperatures in Minneapolis were briefly colder than a recent daytime Mars surface reading of around 30°F. Mars averages roughly -85°F and can plunge to about -225°F because its thin atmosphere cannot retain heat. Outer planets such as Uranus and Neptune can reach near -330°F. Meteorologists warn a polar vortex could drive continued cold across the central and eastern US through December, as shifts in strong stratospheric winds above the North Pole allow cold air to move southward.

Read at Mail Online