As the polar vortex encroaches upon your area, be prepared for an arctic chill. SEE ALSO: Climate versus weather: What's the difference?

CHICAGO — Midwesterners trudged ahead Thursday into a familiar, grim reality: temperatures well below zero, schools and businesses closed, stern warnings to wear extra layers or, better yet ...

The Coast Guard’s new commercial icebreaker is enroute to the West Coast ahead of its August commissioning in Alaska, marking a milestone in the effort to rebuild U.S. defenses in the Arctic Region.