A historic winter storm sweeping across the United States brought heavy snow and dangerous freezing rain on Sunday, January 25th. Over 10,000 flights were canceled, marking the highest single-day flight cancellations since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Meanwhile, severe weather has resulted in multiple fatalities, over 1.2 million power outages nationwide, and school closures in many areas on Monday.
This widespread storm system has brought heavy snow and icy conditions to large parts of the country, while also triggering destructive strong winds and tornadoes in the southeastern United States.
The National Weather Service in the US has warned of severe cold weather including heavy snow, sleet, and freezing rain threatening nearly 180 million people from the southern Rockies to the New England region – over half of the US population. The storm is expected to last through Monday, January 26th, with officials urging the public to be prepared.
“Snow and ice melt very, very slowly and won’t disappear in the short term, which will hinder post-disaster reconstruction efforts,” said Allison Santorelli, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.
At least 22 states have declared emergency situations. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem stated that the Federal Emergency Management Agency has prepositioned supplies, personnel, and search and rescue teams in multiple states.
As of now, Arkansas has seen snowfall exceeding 8 inches, Illinois and Ohio with 11 inches, Indiana with 13 inches, Kansas with 8 inches, Missouri with 12 inches, Oklahoma with 7 inches, Texas with 6 inches, and Tennessee with 5 inches.
In the Northeast region, New Jersey has received 10 inches of snow, Pennsylvania with 9 inches, and New York with 7 inches.
According to FlightAware, as of the latest data available, 11,058 flights were canceled on Sunday, doubling the number of flight cancellations seen last Saturday.
Over 1,800 US flights have been canceled as of Monday.
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Washington, DC announced the cancellation of all Sunday flights and advised passengers to contact their airlines for flight information and rebooking options due to icy road conditions.
In New York, LaGuardia Airport was closed on Sunday afternoon due to snowfall and was expected to reopen at 6 a.m. on Monday. More than 90% of LaGuardia Airport flights have been canceled.
Additionally, most flights at Philadelphia International Airport were also canceled on Sunday.
As reported by USA Today, the severe weather has already claimed the lives of at least 9 individuals, including two residents of Louisiana.
The Louisiana Department of Health confirmed that two men in the northwest part of the state died from hypothermia caused by the winter storm.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani stated that the city is expected to see the coldest sustained temperatures in eight years. He also reported that at least five New Yorkers died due to the extreme cold, though the exact causes of these fatalities remain under investigation.
Officials in Louisville, Kentucky received over 850 emergency calls related to frigid weather conditions on Saturday, including traffic accidents, vehicle strandings, and other emergencies, with the actual numbers likely higher.
Virginia authorities reported handling 177 traffic accidents, with 14 causing injuries, since the blizzard began.
Multiple regions have announced school closures or switched to remote learning on Monday: New York City, Houston, Dallas, Philadelphia, Boston, and Baltimore have all declared school closures for the day.
Currently, a tornado outbreak is affecting a narrow strip of Florida. Simultaneously, the same storm is bringing ice and snow to millions and triggering severe thunderstorms in the southeastern United States.
The National Weather Service in Tallahassee, Florida issued a warning urging people to “seek shelter immediately!”
On Sunday afternoon, the primary threat from the storm was destructive winds, with the potential for more tornadoes.
Tornadoes have been confirmed in southeastern Alabama counties including Henry and Houston. Tornado warnings have been issued by authorities.
The National Weather Service in the US warned that “flying debris will be dangerous to those without shelter; mobile homes may be damaged or destroyed, roofs, windows, and vehicles may also sustain damage, and trees are likely to be damaged.”
This powerful winter storm has not only severely impacted travel but has also left over a million households without power across the US.
According to PowerOutage.us, as of 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time on Sunday, over 1.2 million households are without power nationwide. Tennessee is the hardest-hit state with over 300,000 households affected, followed by Mississippi with nearly 149,000, Louisiana with 138,000, and Georgia with 103,500 households affected.
(Information based on reports by CNN and CBS.)