The Midwest is suffering from a deep and bitter cold that has temperatures dipping as low as minus 53 with the windchill.

The freeze known as a polar vortex has Midwesterners taking refuge in their homes with cars that won’t start, schools and businesses closed, postal services canceled, and streets empty.

Reports have warned people that being exposed to the deep freeze could cause frostbite and hypothermia in minutes, and the deep freeze is not letting up until Thursday.

The record-breaking low temperatures could break records with Minneapolis reporting a low of minus 28, Milwaukee hitting minus 20, and Chicago reaching minus 23. Add in the windchills and temperatures are minus 53, 47, and 50, respectively.

There have been as many as six deaths related to the cold weather blast in the Midwest, the Associated Press reported. Thousands of flights have also been canceled, according to the news outlet.

States of emergency have been declared throughout the region.

Images shared throughout the Midwest show the bitter cold and its effects on homes, businesses, vehicles, and the Great Lakes.

So it's a bit chilly in #Chicago Feel free to use, @accuweather @ABC7Chicago #polarvortex #deepfreeze #chicago #windchill #freezing #brrrr pic.twitter.com/7BjhuBI6y4

Polar Vortex
The polar vortex has brought bitter cold temperatures to the Midwest that may set records for all time lows. A woman walks along Woodward Avenue through several inches of snow as the area deals with record breaking freezing weather January 6, 2014 in Detroit, Michigan. Michigan and most of the Midwest received their first major snow storm of 2014 last week and subzero temperatures are expected most of this week with wind-chill driving temperatures down to 50-70 degrees below zero. A 'polar vortex' weather pattern is bringing some of the coldest weather the U.S. has had in almost 20 years. Getty Images/Joshua Lott
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