At least 10,000 flights were canceled and seven people died due to the low temperatures and heavy snowfall.
The severe winter storm that continues to batter the U.S. has left 185 million people under a winter weather alert across the country, from New Mexico to Maine. The cyclone brought with it intense cold, heavy snowfall, and freezing rain.
Preliminary observations show that the snow cover has already reached 33 centimeters in Indiana, 28 in Illinois and Ohio, and 21 in Missouri. Snow is forecast to continue until Monday morning in the eastern part of the country, and the greatest additional snow accumulation will occur in Ohio and the northeastern states.
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The death toll rises to nine reported amid
The number of households across the country that lost power due to the snowstorm has exceeded one million, according to Poweroutage. The most affected states are Tennessee, Mississippi, and Louisiana. Experts warn that the accumulation of ice can increase the weight of electrical cables and trees and, over time, bring them down, causing power outages.
In Lake Michigan, a
cargo ship got trapped in the ice and a U.S. Coast Guard vessel had to break the ice to free it. “The Mackinaw arrived on the scene and freed the vessel from the ice, helping it return to navigable waters,” announced the Coast Guard of the Great Lakes District.
Deceased
In New York, the deaths of five people have already been reported due to the freezing temperatures and snowfall. The city’s mayor, Zohran Mamdani, did not reveal the causes of death, but emphasized that the extreme cold considerably affects all New Yorkers, especially the most vulnerable, such as the homeless.
In Louisiana, two men died from hypothermia during the storm, the state’s Department of Health reported.
Cancelled FlightsMore than 10,000 flights scheduled for this Sunday with origin or destination in the U.S. have been cancelled, with another 1,800 cancellations scheduled for Monday.
Several airports have been completely closed and have canceled all flights, such as Blue Grass Airport in Lexington, Kentucky, LaGuardia in New York City, and Ronald Reagan in Washington. Philadelphia International Airport also canceled most of its flights.
