Frigid temperatures have gripped much of the U.S. thanks to a polar vortex, and people are coming up with creative ways to show just how cold it really is.
Record-breaking cold hit northern Illinois early Thursday, with temperatures dropping to -34 Celsius in some areas. In Chicago proper, the thermometer dropped to -30 Celsius, prompting many on social media to rename the Windy City to Chiberia.
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On social media, residents shared crisp photos of #Chiberia, while others experimented with tossing boiling water into the air, watching it instantly evaporate.
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“Okay, I’m getting bored trapped indoors. Super soaker + boiling water + #Chiberia = this,” reads a tweet.
“Nothing else to do but a Polar vortex snow day experiment,” another said.
A woman walked outside with wet hair and it instantly froze stiff.
Others put clothing — like jeans — outside, where they froze upright within minutes.
Here’s a look at the frigid U.S. Midwest through the eyes of social media.