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Over 200 Million People Under Winter Weather Alerts
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More Than 8,000 Flights Cancelled Nationwide
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Power Outages Spread Across Southern and Eastern States
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Authorities Urge Residents to Stay Indoors
One of the most severe winter storms in U.S. history is sweeping across the nation, disrupting life from Texas to New England across a span of nearly 2,000 miles. More than 200 million people are currently under extreme cold and winter weather alerts.
Due to the storm’s severity, over 16 states — including Washington, D.C., Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, New York, and Texas — have declared a state of emergency. The crisis has been triggered by a powerful storm system colliding with an Arctic air mass driven south by the polar vortex.
Heavy snowfall, freezing rain, and sleet have battered much of the eastern United States. The National Weather Service warned that parts of the Southern Plains, Lower Mississippi Valley, and Tennessee Valley could see “life-threatening” ice accumulation.
Air travel has been severely impacted, with more than 8,000 flights canceled over the weekend, according to FlightAware. Power outages are also mounting, with thousands of homes left without electricity, particularly in Texas and neighboring states.
Federal and state authorities have mobilized emergency resources, including FEMA response teams and National Guard units. Officials caution that the storm will continue through Monday and urge residents to avoid non-essential travel as dangerously cold conditions persist.
