St. Louis

Snow and ice are seen covering up Mississippi River and downtown St. Louis Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2014. (AP Photo/Kiichiro Sato)

The polar plunge that grippedmillions of Americans this week is starting to loosen its grip, allowing a January thaw to settle in.

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Single-digit temperatures reached as far south as Florida, while breathtaking wind chills well below zero closed schools and businesses in cities that are generallyused to the cold, like Milwaukee and Madison.

The gallery above captures how Americans dealt with the icy start to the week.

MORE ON WEATHER.COM: Dangerous Cold