North American big freeze: Colder than Mars

Chilling temperatures and huge snow falls are gripping the US and Canada. DW English social media followers sent pictures to show us just what's it's like to experience temperatures lower than on the surface of Mars. Picture: Iwona, New Hampshire

This is after a recent ice storm. Over 100,000 people were without power for long periods, and trees were damaged everywhere. But it can look pretty amazing all the same.

We received about 13 inches (33 centimeters) of snow here with temperatures getting down to -15 degrees Fahrenheit (-26 degrees Celsius) or so last night. Breathing in these temperatures is difficult! Now we're just waiting for the roads to be cleared and warmer temperatures. The children have not had school for two days and it's possible they won't go tomorrow either.

Zuri, the four year old Bernese mountain dog from Champaign, Illinois, loves snow and negative degree weather! She only wishes someone would play with her outside!

The boys have to shovel snow.

This is my garden in West Des Moines, Iowa, where our temperature yesterday was -13 degrees Fahrenheit (-25 degrees Celsius) with windchill at -40! Es war sehr KALT! [It was very cold!]

The wonderful view from our balcony.

Our back yard near Chagrin Falls, Ohio. Where it's currently -5 degrees Fahrenheit (-20 degrees Celsius).

Harsh winds led to temperatures of -26 degrees Fahrenheit (-32 Celcius) and caused heavy snow. Even with the assistance of a plow-equipped lawnmower, it took me two hours to battle drifts up to two meters high in order to clear out my driveway. The county declared a state of emergecy, permitting only law enforcement officials on the roads. School has been cancelled here for three days in a row.

We just went through a temperature cycle of -20 degrees Celsius (-4 degrees Fahrenheit) on Thursday (02.01.2014) plus a blizzard on Friday. This morning it got up to 12 degrees Celsius, with rain and fog. Tonight it is expected to be -18 degrees Celsius. The sea temperature has never been lower than 3 degrees in this area.

A typical Maine winter.

After getting out of work on January 6 at 6:30am, my youngest son first cleaned out his Grandma's driveway and then cleaned out our driveway. Afterwards he ploughed out another driveway and late in the afternoon he went to bed. It was 11 degrees Fahrenheit (-23 degrees Celsius), it snowed about seven inches (17.8 centimeters) at my house.