Winter storm wallops U.S., killing 18 and knocking out power : NPR
In this aerial view, ice builds up on power lines Monday in Nashville, Tennessee. A massive winter storm is bringing freezing temperatures, ice and snow to tens of millions of Americans across the country.
Brett Carlsen/Getty Images
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Brett Carlsen/Getty Images
Bitter cold weather is gripping much of the country after a massive winter storm swept across the United States, dumping ice, sleet and snow from New Mexico onto the East Coast. At least 18 deaths are attributed to the bad weather, according to the Associated Press. Nearly half the country’s population was affected by the winter freeze, which knocked out power, made road conditions hazardous and disrupted some of the country’s busiest airports.
Heavy snow continues to fall in the Northeast and the National Weather Service (NWS) warns that freezing temperatures will persist this week across the eastern two-thirds of the United States. “Numerous record lows are expected,” according to the NWS forecast. “Below freezing temperatures are expected most mornings from the Northern Plains through the Ohio Valley and into the Northeast.”
Ice-covered trees and power lines knocked out power to more than a million customers across the South at the height of the storm. As of mid-morning Monday, more than 800,000 homes and businesses remained without power, according to PowerOutage.com.
The current freeze is hampering work to restore electricity. Middle Tennessee Electric is asking for patience, saying crews are “fighting tree by tree,” in a social media post. “As soon as they manage to re-establish a line, another tree falls, knocking it over.”
Authorities are urging people to stay off the roads until the ice melts, which could take several days.
“Unfortunately, the risk of power outages and slippery roads is not over,” says North Carolina Governor Josh Stein. “Temperatures will remain dangerously cold throughout the week, especially at night, so stay safe.”
“This storm covered Kentucky in snow, sleet and ice for 36 hours straight and the dangerously low temperatures will continue,” said Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear. “With these dangerously cold temperatures, if your power is out, we need you to go to a warming center.”
In Mississippi, where the northern part of the state is covered in ice, emergency managers are distributing generators and fuel, cots and blankets, and food and water to affected counties.
More than 20 inches of snow fell in Massachusetts, leading to the closure of schools and government offices. “We’re New Englanders. We’re tough. But we have to take this storm seriously,” Gov. Maura Healey said.
On Sunday alone, more than 12,000 airline flights were canceled, and more than 5,000 as of midday Monday, according to FlightAware. New York’s busy LaGuardia Airport closed and grounded all flights Sunday afternoon. Data from aviation analytics firm Cirium shows Sunday’s cancellations were the highest since the pandemic.
The Federal Aviation Administration says seven people were killed when a private plane crashed on takeoff during a snowstorm in Bangor, Maine. One crew member survived.
