Hudson River freezes over in New York

© Reuters

Ice floes on the Hudson River

These incredible pictures show New York's iconic Hudson river frozen over as a cold snap continues to grip the U.S. east coast.

In some places the 120-mile long river is coated in ice 1.5ft thick, forcing the authorities to deploy icebreakers.

But while these pictures may be beautiful, behind these images is a stark reality.

© Slash News

Hudson river frozen over

The Hudson transports 70 per cent of the home heating oil in the north-east of the country - a concern when large swathes of that area are dealing with sub zero temperatures.

In New York City, 2C was recorded in Central Park today, but wind gusts made it feel like -15.

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But that pales into comparison with Embarrass, Minnesota, where the temperature was measured at a teeth-chattering -41C, making it the coldest spot in the whole country.

Tim Morrin, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service, told NDTV that the jet stream is carrying air from the Arctic and Siberian regions south across the central and eastern parts of the United States.

The cold snap is set to continue with light snow on Saturday, which will then turn to an icy, rainy mix by Sunday morning.