Back in the United States, officials in Erie, Pennsylvania, have declared a state of emergency, after a staggering 63 inches of snow—or more than 5 feet—fell on the city over the last four days. Even more snow is expected today. The state is deploying national guardsmen with Humvee ambulances; because the snow is so high, regular ambulances and other emergency vehicles can’t traverse some streets. The massive snowfall has shattered multiple previous records. So far, Erie has received 97 inches of snow this month—nearly the amount of snow the city receives, on average, during an entire winter. Scientists have linked extreme precipitation—including snowfall—to climate change. Meanwhile, parts of the Northeast and Midwest are experiencing a bitter cold spell, with the temperatures on Christmas hitting record lows in Minnesota and meteorologists predicting more record-shattering cold days to come.