A powerful winter storm tightened its grip on much of the US over the weekend, bringing heavy snow, freezing rain and bitter Arctic cold to a vast stretch of the country. From the mid South to New England, hazardous conditions disrupted daily life for tens of millions, prompting emergency declarations across multiple states.
More than one million homes and businesses lost power across eight Southern states as thick ice weighed down power lines and snapped tree limbs. Tennessee was hit hardest, accounting for roughly a third of the outages, while utilities warned that restoration efforts could be slowed by ongoing cold and dangerous conditions. Federal authorities stepped in, issuing emergency orders to stabilize energy grids in regions under severe strain.
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Air travel ground to a near standstill as the storm intensified. Airlines canceled more than 11,000 flights nationwide in a single day, with major airports in Washington, New York, Philadelphia and Charlotte seeing the vast majority of departures scrubbed. Ronald Reagan National Airport effectively shut down, underscoring the scale of the disruption.
Snowfall totals reached a foot or more in parts of Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, New York and Pennsylvania, while freezing rain turned roads into sheets of ice across the mid Atlantic and Southeast. Wind chills plunged to dangerous levels in the northern Plains, with temperatures feeling as low as minus 50 degrees Fahrenheit, stretching emergency services and local infrastructure.
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Although the storm system is expected to move offshore, forecasters warn that the worst may not be over. Another surge of Arctic air is set to follow, prolonging icy conditions and deep cold into the coming days. Officials continue to urge residents to limit travel, conserve energy and prepare for extended disruptions as the US endures one of the most intense winter weather events of the season.