Monster Winter Storm Ravages United States, Affecting 240 Million Americans
A colossal winter storm is causing widespread disruption across the United States, impacting an estimated 240 million Americans—more than half the nation's population. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy issued a stark warning about the storm's severe effects, which have led to the cancellation of over 14,000 flights during the weekend, widespread power failures, and treacherous icy conditions on major roadways.
Emergency Declarations and Government Response
In response to the escalating crisis, US President Donald Trump approved emergency declarations for at least 16 states and the capital, Washington D.C., by Saturday, with expectations for more states to be added. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem emphasized the importance of public safety, stating, "We just ask that everyone would be smart – stay home if possible." She highlighted that the Federal Emergency Management Agency has pre-positioned essential commodities, staff, and search-and-rescue teams in numerous affected states.
Weather Conditions and Forecast Warnings
The National Weather Service reported widespread heavy snow, sleet, and freezing rain across regions including the plains, the south, and the Midwest. States such as Oklahoma, Iowa, Tennessee, Kansas, Texas, and Missouri have been particularly hard hit, with power outages and dangerous ice accumulation snarling transportation networks. Meteorologist Allison Santorelli from the National Weather Service told AP that the snow and ice will be very slow to melt, hindering recovery efforts for the foreseeable future.
Authorities have issued a warning of life-threatening cold that could persist for up to a week after the storm, especially in the Northern Plains and Upper Midwest. Wind chill lows are forecast to plummet to extreme levels under -50°F (-45°C), posing severe health risks. New York Governor Kathy Hochul cautioned residents, "Five or six minutes outside could literally be dangerous for your health," and urged people to check on vulnerable neighbors.
Impact on Travel and Infrastructure
The storm's fury has resulted in the cancellation of more than 14,000 flights across the United States on Saturday and Sunday, according to flight tracking website FlightAware. Aviation analytics firm Cirium noted that this marks the highest number of cancellations on any single day since the coronavirus pandemic. Additionally, about 140,000 power outages were reported along the storm's path on Saturday, with significant concentrations in Louisiana (over 58,000 outages) and Texas (approximately 50,000 outages), as per poweroutage.us.
Human Toll and Safety Concerns
Tragically, three people were found dead on New York City streets on Saturday afternoon, with NBC News reporting that all deaths resulted from weather-related circumstances. The National Weather Service forecasted huge snowfall in some areas and potentially "catastrophic" ice accumulations, warning that icy surfaces will remain dangerous for driving and walking well into next week. Snow has also impacted Oklahoma and Arkansas, where some locations have already recorded six inches (15 centimetres) of accumulation on the ground.
Americans are being advised to brace for a prolonged period of frigid conditions as the monster winter storm continues to wreak havoc, with recovery efforts expected to be slow and challenging due to persistent icy hazards.
