Severe Winter Storm Sweeps Across the U.S., Bringing Widespread Disruptions
A harsh winter storm has spread freezing temperatures, ice, and snow across the United States, affecting millions. From New Mexico to the eastern coast, the storm has caused significant disturbances, leaving at least 18 people dead as reported by The Associated Press. Power outages, treacherous road conditions, and travel disruptions have impacted nearly half of the U.S. population.
In the Northeast, heavy snow continues to fall, and the National Weather Service (NWS) warns of ongoing cold conditions in two-thirds of the country this week. “Numerous record lows are forecast,” the NWS forecast states. Sub-zero temperatures are predicted from the Northern Plains through the Ohio Valley and into the Northeast each morning.
The storm has caused power outages for over a million customers in the southern U.S., with more than 800,000 homes and businesses still without electricity as of Monday morning, according to PowerOutage.com. Efforts to restore power are ongoing but hampered by the persistent cold. Middle Tennessee Electric has requested patience from customers, explaining in a social media post that crews are dealing with falling trees and repeatedly disrupted lines.
Authorities are advising residents to avoid travel until conditions improve. North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein has cautioned that the danger from power outages and icy roads persists. “Temperatures will remain dangerously cold throughout the week, especially at night, so please stay safe,” he said.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear highlighted the storm’s prolonged impact in his state, where snow, sleet, and ice accumulated continuously for 36 hours. He urged residents without power to seek shelter at warming centers. Similarly, Mississippi emergency officials are distributing essential supplies to areas blanketed in ice.
More than 20 inches of snow have been recorded in Massachusetts, closing schools and government offices. Governor Maura Healey emphasized the seriousness of the storm despite local resilience: “We’re New Englanders. We’re tough. But we have to take this storm seriously,” she remarked.
Air travel has also been severely impacted, with over 12,000 flights cancelled on Sunday and an additional 5,000 by mid-day Monday, as per FlightAware. LaGuardia Airport in New York was forced to close, with flight cancellations reaching pandemic-level highs according to Cirium.
In a tragic incident, the Federal Aviation Administration reported that a private jet crashed during takeoff amid a snowstorm in Bangor, Maine, resulting in seven fatalities and the survival of one crew member.
This article was originally written by www.npr.org
