According to Dr. John Holdren, who serves as an adviser to the U.S. government the recent pattern of cold air above North America is part of a process where temperatures become more equal between the arctic and temperate regions. So, while it may be cooler in the regions where most people live, the overall effect is arctic warming.
Holdren, explains in a two minute video how the extreme cold is a pattern that we can expect to see with increasing frequency.