Mid-Summer Snow Blankets New Zealand's Mt Hutt; China's Severe Cold Wave; South Korea Braces For Record Snows And Freezing Lows; U.S. Freeze, Part Two; + Wildfire Victims To Sue Oil Companies?

That 'polar vortex' is threatening to make a comeback America.

Mid-Summer Snow Blankets New Zealand's Mt Hutt

Mount Hutt in Canterbury woke up to rare summer snow on Monday, with a chilling blast delivering a few inches of powder.

General manager James Urquhart noted that while snow falls on the mountain at least once a month year-round, summer snow is typically just a light dusting. "This amount is more than we usually see in summer," he said.

Summer snow on Mt Hutt, New Zealand.

China's Severe Cold Wave

As China approaches the Lunar New Year, a significant cold wave is sweeping across the nation, bringing with it rapid temperature drops and widespread snowstorms.

Over the weekend, heavy snow buried central and northwest regions, breaking January snow depth records across a myriad of locales. Totals in Song, for example, reached 24 cm (9.4 inches) — a new record for the month there.

The wintry conditions have intensified into the new week, with 26 stations in Liaoning alone setting new January snowfall records on Monday (Jan 27). The snow depth across many cities has now exceeded a foot —a rare feat— with Fusong reading 1.35 ft.

Liaoning snowfall records.

Thermometers have also impressed, with lows of -35.9C (-32.6F) noted in Qingshuihe, and -36.6C (-33.9F) in Maqin Youyun.