The 'polar vortex' system that has engulfed the US in a record-breaking freeze, with wind and snow to match, has unleashed utter mayhem across the country – even in cities used to the cold.

The sub-Antarctic chill brought some cities to a standstill, with much of the Midwest canceling flights, trains, classes, and postal deliveries. At least three states – Michigan, Illinois, and Wisconsin – declared an emergency on Wednesday and Thursday. RT looks at some of the craziest things that happened in America due to the weather quirk.

It’s so cold in Chicago, crews had to set fire to commuter rail tracks to keep the trains moving smoothly. https://t.co/YsCjTNIMhepic.twitter.com/j0ej5C0PAl — ABC News (@ABC) January 30, 2019

It may look like a catastrophe, but the flames 'burning' Chicago's train tracks are actually coming from gas-fed heaters that run alongside the rails to stop them from freezing. The trains run on diesel fuel, so there's no danger they will explode if the flames get a little too intense – or so says Metra director of engineering John Meyer, who remembers the days when workers poured kerosene on rails by hand and tossed lit matches on them to keep the rails toasty.

As Chicago battles brutal cold, gas-fired switch heaters on the train rails keep the ice and snow off the switches: https://t.co/eRbwhznw2Ppic.twitter.com/0CaKLVuUYD — ABC News (@ABC) January 30, 2019

Hovering around -23 F, temperatures in Chicago on its second-coldest day ever were colder than Siberia, the Arctic Circle, and even Mars. Lake Michigan was entirely frozen.

My brother was on one of the few flights into Chicago this morning. He took this photo of frozen Lake Michigan from the plane. pic.twitter.com/cS8XRCTPQV — David Funk (@DavidPFunk) January 30, 2019

"Frostquakes" – loud booms caused by the sudden freezing and expansion of groundwater – startled Chicagoans, who (perhaps understandably) mistook them for gunfire.

Dunno what a frost quake is but but ice tsunami is creepy! pic.twitter.com/FdoR3j6O0e — objkshn (@objkshn) January 30, 2019

And then there was whatever this is, an image that makes the running from killer cold scene in the disaster movie "The Day After Tomorrow" a bit less unrealistic.

Central Minnesota cities are asked to turn their thermostats down to 55. 150 people in Princeton have no heat — Reg Chapman (@RegChapman) January 30, 2019

It was even colder in Minnesota, where Xcel energy urged customers to turn down their thermostats despite outdoor temperatures as low as -42 F. A water tower exploded in White Bear township on Wednesday after its pipes froze, and many buildings' pipes met similar fates.

State Police are on the scene and investigating a multiple vehicle crash on the Thruway near Batavia. More than 20 vehicles, including a state police vehicle, were involved in the crash. pic.twitter.com/5cJV9XTnJh — NewYorkStatePolice (@nyspolice) January 30, 2019

The cold snap was naturally a disaster for traffic, but more for some than others. A 21-car pileup on an interstate highway outside Batavia, New York – including a State Police vehicle and at least one tractor-trailer – brought it to a standstill on Wednesday afternoon as drivers attempted to navigate whiteout conditions.

Some brave men and women had to deal with extreme temperatures of another kind. A New Jersey factory producing paper tissue products lit up like a matchbox dozed in kerosene.

The sub-zero temperatures forced two nuclear reactors out of service at Public Service Enterprise Group’s Salem, New Jersey power plant due to “frazil ice” – small crystals of frozen mist that form an impenetrable coating on the reactors’ screens, preventing them from taking in water.

This is one of the best and most genuine announcements from any Police department I have ever seen 😅 #polarvortexpic.twitter.com/B25NsW8k48 — Elixired (@sheshadotme) January 31, 2019

The polar vortex had claimed at least nine lives by Thursday, with many of the casualties having succumbed to hypothermia. But grave as it was, many found a way to maintain their sense of humor despite the debilitating freeze.

You'll never guess who is seizing on life-threatening cold weather in the U.S. to fear-monger about... Russia! pic.twitter.com/deo2H4SBBQ — Aaron Maté (@aaronjmate) January 31, 2019

Others proved there is nothing a creative US journalist can't use to make their audience fear Russia a little more.

It's actually happened! Day Two of Polar Vortex 2019...and Hell IS frozen over! pic.twitter.com/lmqPrBCcaG — Robert Mihaly (@RobertMihaly1) January 31, 2019

Hell (the one in Michigan) may have frozen over, but the polar vortex is on its way out, with temperatures due to hit a balmy 41 degrees F in Chicago on Saturday.

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