Mail service suspended, classes canceled as cold paralyzes states

Brutally cold and extremely dangerous below-zero wind chills are paralyzing major Midwest cities.

Chicago is forecast to reach an actual temperature of minus 26 degrees Wednesday night -- just one degree away from the city's all-time coldest temperature, which was set in 1994.

And soon, freezing temperatures will take over the Northeast.

For the hard-hit Midwest, relief will return by the weekend, when temperatures in Minneapolis and Chicago will climb back up to the 40s.

Super Bowl fans are also in luck: Atlanta is forecast to be in the 60s for the big game.

ABC News' Christine Theodorou contributed to this report.