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Storm claims seven lives as icy conditions grip US
A severe winter storm has killed at least seven people and left over 800,000 households without power across the United States, as freezing rain, sleet, and heavy snow paralyze regions from Texas to New England. The National Weather Service (NWS) has warned of "life-threatening" conditions affecting more than half the country's population.
Casualties and power outages reported nationwide
Two men in Louisiana died of hypothermia, according to the state's Department of Health. Additional storm-related fatalities were confirmed in Texas, Tennessee, and Kansas, including a woman found covered in snow in Kansas, where officials suspect hypothermia as the cause. In New York City, Mayor Zohran Mamdani reported five deaths on Saturday, though their exact causes remain under investigation. He cautioned that cold-related fatalities occur annually in the city.
Power outages have surged, with over 800,000 homes and businesses losing electricity by Sunday afternoon, per data from poweroutage.us. Flight disruptions have also escalated, with more than 11,000 cancellations logged by FlightAware.
States declare emergencies as ice and snow cripple infrastructure
Nearly half of U.S. states have declared emergencies, prompting widespread school closures and the postponement of a U.S. Senate vote scheduled for Monday. Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser described the storm as the capital's "biggest snowstorm in a decade."
New York Governor Kathy Hochul warned residents to avoid travel, calling the conditions an "arctic siege" and the coldest winter storm in years. "It is bone-chilling and it is dangerous," she said. Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear noted that ice accumulation-rather than snow-posed the greatest threat, increasing risks of power line damage, tree falls, and hazardous road conditions. Authorities in Virginia and Kentucky have responded to hundreds of traffic collisions.
Unprecedented cold strains southern states
While northern states like Minnesota and the Dakotas are accustomed to subzero temperatures, the storm has brought extreme cold to southern regions unaccustomed to such conditions. Texas, Louisiana, and Tennessee have recorded temperatures 15-20°C below seasonal averages, with freezing rain expected to deposit up to an inch of ice in some areas.
NWS meteorologist Allison Santorelli told CBS News that the snow and ice would linger for days, complicating recovery efforts. "The snow and the ice will be very, very slow to melt and won't be going away anytime soon," she said.
Polar vortex fuels storm's intensity
Weather experts attribute the storm's severity to a disruption in the polar vortex-a ring of strong winds encircling the Arctic that traps frigid air. When these winds weaken, the vortex can dip southward, allowing cold air to surge into the U.S. As the cold front collides with milder southern air, storm systems intensify.
The current storm is moving northeast, expected to clear Canada's Maritime provinces by Tuesday but leaving behind dangerously low temperatures through early February. Some scientists suggest climate change may influence the polar vortex's behavior, citing warming sea surface temperatures as a potential factor.
Canada also hit by heavy snow and flight cancellations
The storm has extended into Canada, where Ontario is forecast to receive 15-30 cm (5-11 inches) of snow. Hundreds of flights have been canceled as conditions deteriorate.
