A major winter storm has brought icy winds and heavy snowfall across large parts of the US, disrupting travel and leaving thousands without power. The storm will be followed by a bitter cold arctic chill into the weekend, with temperatures near -50F (-45C) in some areas.
Nearly 10 inches of snow in Iowa, where the 2024 election cycle kicks off on Monday, has upended campaign events. Forecasters have called it a 'life-threatening winter weather'. The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued weather alerts in nearly every state, with more than 70 million people under winter weather alerts.
Extreme weather has forced the cancellation of more than 2,000 flights as of Friday, most of which were scheduled to fly out of Chicago. Nearly 200,000 people are without power, with Michigan and Wisconsin most affected. Former President Donald Trump's campaign cancelled three out of four in-person events scheduled before the Iowa caucuses, and other candidates have also cancelled events.
Southern states will also experience snow, sleet and freezing rain, concentrated in eastern Oklahoma, northern Mississippi and western Tennessee. In Texas, the NWS issued a wind chill watch through Saturday, warning of hypothermia and frostbite, with wind chills potentially dropping to -25F (-32C). Texas Governor Greg Abbott urged residents to be cautious and expect ultra-cold temperatures.
As the cold air moves eastward, parts of the US are likely to see record-low temperatures, especially in Montana and the Dakotas. Wind chill warnings ranging from -55F (-48C) to -35F (-37C) have been issued across the northwest, down to Nebraska and Kansas. The NWS warned that cold wind chills could cause frostbite on exposed skin in as little as 10 minutes.
