A major winter storm has plunged vast swathes of the United States into chaos, leading to the cancellation of nearly 10,000 flights and prompting emergency declarations in over a dozen states. The severe weather system, described by officials as potentially rivalling a major hurricane in its impact, is causing widespread travel paralysis and threatening prolonged power outages for millions of Americans.
Massive Travel Disruption Across the Nation
According to data from the flight tracking website FlightAware, the storm's disruption to air travel is already severe and escalating. As of 10 a.m. Eastern Time on Saturday, more than 3,400 flights had been cancelled. Looking ahead, airlines have preemptively called off nearly 6,200 flights scheduled for Sunday, bringing the total number of cancellations close to the 10,000 mark as carriers scramble to adjust to the dangerous conditions.
Widespread Warnings and Emergency Measures
The storm's reach is immense, with weather warnings covering more than 140 million people—over 40% of the US population—from New Mexico across to New England. Governors in at least 18 states have declared states of emergency in anticipation of the storm's life-threatening conditions. These preemptive measures are aimed at mobilising resources and coordinating response efforts as the system moves across the country.
Forecasters are predicting a dangerous mix of heavy snowfall and what they term "catastrophic" ice accumulation, particularly from east Texas through to North Carolina. This is coupled with perilously cold temperatures, including wind chills that could plummet as low as minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit, creating a significant risk to life and property.
Power Grid Under Strain
The infrastructure impact is already being felt, with over 95,000 power outages reported across the United States by Saturday morning. Texas appears to be one of the hardest-hit regions initially, accounting for approximately 36,000 of those outages. Utility companies and emergency services are bracing for the possibility that power could be knocked out for days in some areas, complicating recovery efforts and posing serious risks to residents during the extreme cold.
Weather officials have issued stark warnings that the aftermath of the storm could be prolonged. Even after the primary system passes, it will take a considerable amount of time for the significant ice accumulations to thaw, potentially delaying the return to normalcy for travel and power restoration. The scale of the disruption underscores the storm's severity and the challenging days ahead for communities in its path.
