A powerful winter storm has blanketed much of the central and eastern United States, leaving millions stranded and causing significant disruptions across the region. With frigid temperatures settling in, the storm has already led to the cancellation of over 2,300 flights, according to FlightAware, and thousands more delays across the country.
Nearly 200,000 households from Missouri to Virginia are without power as snow and ice continue to build up. The National Weather Service (NWS) reports that this is the first major winter storm of the year, which will soon move offshore, though small accumulations could still persist in mountainous and Mid-Atlantic areas.
Behind the storm, cities like Kansas City are facing dangerous windchills of -17°C, and frigid temperatures are expected to last for several days, even dipping tens of degrees below seasonal norms along the US Gulf Coast. Snowfall has not stopped, with parts of Washington seeing several inches that did not deter Congress from meeting to certify Donald Trump’s election victory.
Traffic fatalities have already been reported in multiple states due to icy road conditions, including Kansas and Missouri, where vehicles have skidded off highways. The system is also bringing dangerous lake-effect snow across the Great Lakes into New York.
Scientists warn that extreme weather like this is becoming more frequent and severe due to manmade climate change. As the storm tracks eastward, additional weather systems are looming, with forecasters predicting yet another major snowstorm for Texas, and potentially more in the Mid-Atlantic region.
In southern California, extreme winds and low humidity are raising concerns about fast-spreading wildfires. The California Office of Emergency Services has already pre-positioned fire engines, helicopters, and crews ahead of the severe conditions.
