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Chicago could be colder than Alaska and Mount Everest on Wednesday

The National Weather Service says people should opt to stay indoors.

CHICAGO — The forecast high for many cities across the Midwest is perfect for polar bears, not so for everyone else.

Dangerous, even life-threatening, arctic air is pouring into the U.S. in the wake of a major winter storm. In Chicago, a high of 11 degrees below zero Wednesday would make the city one of the coldest places on the planet. 

How cold? Although not quite on the level of Antarctic cold, wind chill readings (the "feels like" temperature) could drop to minus 45 degrees or worse and bring on symptoms of frostbite in 10 minutes or less.

That's cold. 

Other U.S. hotspots -- coldspots? -- will be just as bitterly frigid: 14 below in Minneapolis, 8 below in Des Moines, Iowa, and 2 below in Indianapolis. One might expect Barrow, Alaska, and the base camp at Mount Everest to be colder, but nope, not Wednesday.

Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station, Antarctica: Minus 29 degrees (Monday high)

Denali (Mount McKinley), Alaska: Minus 40 degrees

Dome Fuji, Antarctica: Minus 25 degrees (Monday high)

Helsinki, Finland: 31 degrees

Mount Everest Base Camp, Khumjung, Nepal: 11 degrees

Oslo, Norway: 20 degrees

Ottawa, Ontario, Canada: 8 degrees

Oymyakon, Russia: Minus 36 degrees

Snag, Yukon, Canada: 13 degrees

Stockholm, Sweeden: 21 degrees

Upernavik, Greenland: 0 degrees

Utqiagvik (Barrow), Alaska: Minus 6 degrees

Verkhoyansk, Russia: Minus 39 degrees

If Chicago hits a high temperature of minus 11 degrees, it would tie the coldest high temperature ever recorded, twice: Dec. 24, 1983, and Jan. 18, 1994.

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