The jet stream is also known for powering trans-Atlantic flights, which pilots sometimes use to speed up journeys and save on fuel. On Wednesday, the ground speed of a flight from Las Vegas to London hit 814 m.p.h., close to the subsonic speed record of 835 m.p.h., which was set by a flight from New York to Lisbon last February.
In the United States this week, the bitter arctic air mass plunged much of the country into dangerously cold conditions, delivering record-breaking low temperatures not seen in decades, and life-threatening wind chills.
The National Weather Service called it the coldest air of the season, and it disrupted daily life for many across the country.
It helped fuel a rare winter storm along the Gulf Coast, which received record amounts of snow from Houston to New Orleans, and prompted the first-ever blizzard warning for some parts of Texas and Louisiana. Florida appeared to have shattered its record for the most snow over 24 hours, and in New Orleans, eight inches were recorded at the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, giving the city its snowiest day in over 100 years.
-Eowyn is expected to clear into the Norwegian Sea on Saturday, allowing a brief lull of drier and calmer conditions for the day. Another storm system is forecast to bring similar hazards for Britain on Sunday and Monday.
Amy Graff contributed reporting.
