Winter Storm Chaos Grips United States with 9,000 Flights Cancelled
The United States is bracing for significant travel chaos and widespread disruption as a major winter storm sweeps across the nation, leading to the cancellation of more than 9,000 flights this weekend. The severe weather system threatens extensive power outages and dangerous travel conditions, with an estimated 140 million people currently under winter storm warnings stretching from New Mexico to New England.
National Weather Service Issues Dire Warnings
The National Weather Service has issued urgent warnings for extensive heavy snow and a perilous band of ice expected to extend from eastern Texas all the way to North Carolina. Forecasters have cautioned that the anticipated damage, particularly in areas expected to be hit by significant ice accumulation, could be comparable to that inflicted by a hurricane.
On Saturday, ice and sleet that struck northern Texas overnight were reported to be moving towards the central part of the state, according to the National Weather Service in Fort Worth. The agency warned on social media platform X that "dangerously cold temperatures and wind chills are spreading into the area and will remain in place into Monday."
Flight Cancellations and Travel Disruption
According to flight tracking website FlightAware, more than 3,300 flights were delayed or canceled on Saturday, with nearly 6,000 called off for Sunday. Angela Exstrom, who was supposed to fly back to Omaha, Nebraska from a trip in Mexico, learned her Saturday flight out of Houston had been canceled and was forced to reroute through Los Angeles.
"If you live in the Midwest and travel in the winter, stuff can happen," she remarked, reflecting the widespread travel disruption affecting thousands of passengers across the country.
Power Outages and Emergency Response
About 68,000 power outages were reported across the country at 8 a.m. ET, with approximately 27,600 of them in Texas alone. Utility companies are bracing for further outages as ice-coated trees and power lines can continue falling long after the storm has passed.
The federal government has placed nearly 30 search and rescue teams on standby, with officials preparing more than 7 million meals, 600,000 blankets, and 300 generators throughout the area the storm is expected to cross, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
State Responses and Safety Measures
Governors in more than a dozen states have declared emergencies or urged people to stay home. Texas Governor Greg Abbott told residents on social media platform X that the state Department of Transportation was pretreating roads and advised, "Stay home if possible."
After sweeping through the South, the storm is expected to move into the Northeast, dumping about a foot (30 centimeters) of snow from Washington through New York and Boston. Temperatures reached minus 29 F (minus 34 C) just before dawn in rural Lewis County and other parts of upstate New York after days of heavy snow.
Extreme Cold and Public Impact
The Midwest has seen wind chills as low as minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 40 Celsius), meaning frostbite could set in within 10 minutes. In Bismarck, North Dakota, where the wind chill was minus 41 (minus 41 Celsius), residents like Colin Cross bundled up in multiple layers as they went about their daily activities.
The storm has dominated public conversation, with Ayaz Ahmed, owner of Saint Paul Mini Market in Baltimore, noting "Every single person that walks in talks about the storm."
Historical Context and Infrastructure Concerns
In at least 11 Southern states from Texas to Virginia, a majority of homes are heated by electricity, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. This raises particular concerns given that a severe cold snap five years ago took down much of the power grid in Texas, leaving millions without power for days and resulting in hundreds of deaths.
Governor Abbott has vowed that will not happen again, with utility companies bringing in thousands of employees to help keep the lights on throughout the storm's duration.
Cultural and Educational Disruption
The storm's impact extends beyond travel and infrastructure, affecting cultural events and educational institutions. Churches have moved Sunday services online, while the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee decided to hold its Saturday night radio performance without fans. Carnival parades in Louisiana have been canceled or rescheduled.
Philadelphia announced schools would be closed Monday, with Superintendent Tony B. Watlington Sr. telling students, "It's also appropriate to have one or two very safe snowball fights." Some universities in the South have canceled classes for Monday, including the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the University of Mississippi's main campus in Oxford.
At the University of Georgia in Athens, sophomore Eden England chose to stay on campus with friends despite the school encouraging students to leave dorms due to power loss concerns, saying "I'd rather be with my friends, kind of struggling together if anything happens."
As the storm continues its path across the country, officials warn that recovery will take time, with ice adding hundreds of pounds to power lines and branches, making them more susceptible to snapping, especially in windy conditions that are expected to persist even after the main storm has passed.
