A polar vortex is slated to sweep most of the continental United States bringing a hazardous freeze to millions of Americans from the Deep South to the Northeast Saturday going into next week.

We start the following work week with a polar vortex. This will bring in unseasonably cold air to the region and wind chill temperatures back to the negatives. But what is a polar vortex? The polar vortex is the jet stream above the Arctic Circle.

The polar vortex is a large area of low pressure, winds, and cold air surrounding both of the Earth’s poles, according to the National Weather Service. The term “vortex” refers to the circulation of air that helps keep the colder air near the Poles. This vortex has always existed and is not something new.

People living "basically anywhere from the Rockies eastward" will see extremely cold temperatures over the next several days, a meteorologist says. That includes Kansas City, which is set to host a Chiefs playoffs game this weekend.

A series of disturbances in the atmosphere is sending the polar vortex south (again) next week with a burst of even colder Arctic air than last week.

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

As snow begins to cover the Texas Panhandle amid the polar vortex, here's what the state can expect as weather conditions begin to shift.

After days of balmy weather, City is slated to get buried in snow and then hit with an arctic blast expected to unleash a potentially life-threatening chill.

A spell of dangerously cold weather is creeping through the area this weekend that will drop high temperatures below zero with wind chills as cold as -40 possible at times. With these temperatures and wind chill values, injury or worse could occur in a very short amount of time if not taken seriously or cautiously.

State Climatologist Jay Grymes said there could be lows of 20 degrees across the state between Monday and Wednesday and the National Weather Service (NWS) has said Baton Rouge could see its first snowfall in seven years. Newsweek has contacted the Louisiana Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness for comment.

Officials canceled the parade because of the freezing temperatures expected to blast the Baltimore area in the days ahead.