The arctic vortex's cold currents over North America, as seen from this satellite's perspective

An instrument on the Aqua satellite called the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) has been measuring air quality temperatures across the United States. Aqua itself, launched in 2002, carries six different instruments designed to study various parts of the water cycle, including evaporation, cloud formation and precipitation.

This suite of air instruments focuses on temperature measurements, making it a useful tool for studying this week's cold weather and its causes, January 30, a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) satellite Cold Arctic air has been observed sneaking further south than usual. Looking coldly at America in this week's polar vortex. (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)

NASA's new visualization of data from this instrument shows measurements collected between January 20 and January 29. Temperatures as low as minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 40 degrees Celsius) are shown in purple and can be seen extending into South Dakota, Iowa and northern Illinois. Everything that's light blue and "cooler" indicates a temperature that's 32 degrees Fahrenheit (0 degrees Celsius) below the freezing point of water.

If you live in an area currently affected by this cold air, be sure to bundle up and monitor your local weather forecast until the cold subsides.

Email Meghan Bartels at mbartels@space or follow her @meghanbartels. Follow us @Spacedotcom and Facebook. Original article about space.