Winter Horror ...mayhem as total 'whiteout' causes fatal 50 vehicle pile-up in PA. Polar vortex sweeps across the north east USA. Windchill of -24F

See the images as 'Whiteout' causes fatal 50 vehicle pile-up on Pennsylvania highway. Polar vortex sweeps across the north east USA. windchill of 24F with at least 40 people taken to hospital. Police are yet to announce fatalities. 

It will be a chilly valentine as the meteorologists say  with ... 'temperatures plummeting across the region, biting wind chill means it will felt like  "walking in a freezer"' 

 

A huge 50-car pile-up has shut down a highway after a 'total whiteout' and severe winds caused drivers to lose control of their vehicles

 

A huge 50 car pile-up has shut down a highway after a 'total whiteout' and severe winds caused drivers to lose control of their vehicles. The I-78 outside Harrisburg,PA, was a scene of carnage this afternoon, with tankers, lorries and regular cars all involved in the massive crash. Local reports suggested the crash was fatal and pictures from the scene showed bloodied people being stretchered towards air ambulances.

The smash came after snowstorm alerts were issued for the Philadelphia area, as well as swathes of the north east of the United States.

The smash (wreckage pictured) came after snowstorm alerts were issued for the Philadelphia area, as well as swathes of the north east of the United States

Local reports suggested the crash was fatal and pictures from the scene showed bloodied people being stretchered towards air ambulances

Dozens of vehicles collided as 30mph winds battered the road, which has since been shut down on both sides after the horror crash. The pile-up on Saturday morning came amid poor visibility, with roads packed with families getting away for the long weekend. 

The I-78 outside Harrisburg, in Lebanon County, was a scene of carnage this afternoon, with tankers, lorries and regular cars all involved in the massive crash

Dozens of vehicles collided as 30mph winds battered the road, which has since been shut down on both sides after the horror crash

Firefighters from the Erie, Pennsylvania, Bureau of Fire prepare to leave the scene after checking on the occupants of a sedan that spun out in snowy conditions on Wednesday on the Interstate 79 northbound 

 

 A wind chill advisory was in effect for NYC beginning Saturday afternoon and continuing to noon Sunday

 Courtesy: dailymail/abcnews