An unusually brutal winter storm is set to pummel more than 160 million Americans from Friday, as a stretched "polar vortex" sends a devastating blast of Arctic air, bringing heavy snows and freezing rains.

Since Russia full-scale invasion of Ukraine almost four years ago, Europe's attention has been firmly fixed on NATO's eastern flank. But could the Arctic become the next area requiring defence and does Bundeswehr have the capacity to take on that role?

Forecasters are warning of a sprawling winter storm that's predicted to spread a mess of ice and snow over a 2,000 mile stretch of the nation.

With the windchill, the temperature in New York City could feel like 8 degrees.

Major cities across the Northeast and Midwest are facing temperatures 10-20 degrees below average, according to forecasters.

A fierce Arctic blast of bitterly cold air is poised to overtake much of the central, eastern and southern U.S. over the next few days, dropping temperatures well below average.

An arctic air mass has settled over North Dakota, and the Minot area can expect subzero temperatures through the weekend, according to the National Weather Service. Potentially, Minot won’t see above zero numbers in the forecast until Monday,

CNN reports that Russia is expanding its influence in the Arctic amid Donald Trump’s plans regarding Greenland.