A Devastating Winter Storm Brings Widespread Disruption Across the US
At least a dozen people have lost their lives in the midst of a catastrophic winter storm that has paralyzed much of the United States, leaving millions without power and rendering roads impassable. The tempestuous system, fueled by an arctic air mass, has brought severe cold temperatures, snow, sleet, and freezing rain to wide swaths of the country.
The full force of the storm was most notably felt in the US South, where over 840,000 customers were left without electricity at one point. Tennessee reported more than 300,000 outages, while Louisiana, Mississippi, and Georgia each had over 100,000 power outages. Authorities warned that treacherous cold temperatures could set records, posing an extraordinary threat to life.
The storm's impact was most pronounced in the Northeast, where cities like Philadelphia, New York, and Boston were hit with heavy snowfall and sleet. Several states of emergency have been declared, including Washington, which experienced a blanket of several inches of snow on sidewalks and roads.
More than 19,000 flights into and out of the US had been canceled since Saturday, with Flightaware.com tracking over 20,000 scrapped flights to date. President Donald Trump issued words of caution via his Truth Social platform, urging Americans to "stay safe" and "stay warm."
The storm's formation is linked to a polar vortex, an arctic air mass that normally forms a relatively compact system but can morph into a more oval shape, sending cold air spilling across North America. Climate scientists warn that increasing frequency of such disruptions may be linked to climate change, although the debate remains unsettled and natural variability plays a significant role.
Meanwhile, President Trump took issue with global warming, questioning its relevance in light of the current extreme weather event. "WHATEVER HAPPENED TO GLOBAL WARMING??" he posted on social media.
The National Weather Service warned that heavy ice could cause long-duration power outages, extensive tree damage, and extremely hazardous travel conditions. Authorities issued life-threatening cold warnings, particularly in the Northern Plains and Upper Midwest, where wind chill lows were forecast to plummet to extremes under -50F (-45C). Such temperatures can cause frostbite within minutes.
The full extent of the storm's impact is still unfolding, but one thing is clear: this winter storm has brought widespread disruption and death across the US.
At least a dozen people have lost their lives in the midst of a catastrophic winter storm that has paralyzed much of the United States, leaving millions without power and rendering roads impassable. The tempestuous system, fueled by an arctic air mass, has brought severe cold temperatures, snow, sleet, and freezing rain to wide swaths of the country.
The full force of the storm was most notably felt in the US South, where over 840,000 customers were left without electricity at one point. Tennessee reported more than 300,000 outages, while Louisiana, Mississippi, and Georgia each had over 100,000 power outages. Authorities warned that treacherous cold temperatures could set records, posing an extraordinary threat to life.
The storm's impact was most pronounced in the Northeast, where cities like Philadelphia, New York, and Boston were hit with heavy snowfall and sleet. Several states of emergency have been declared, including Washington, which experienced a blanket of several inches of snow on sidewalks and roads.
More than 19,000 flights into and out of the US had been canceled since Saturday, with Flightaware.com tracking over 20,000 scrapped flights to date. President Donald Trump issued words of caution via his Truth Social platform, urging Americans to "stay safe" and "stay warm."
The storm's formation is linked to a polar vortex, an arctic air mass that normally forms a relatively compact system but can morph into a more oval shape, sending cold air spilling across North America. Climate scientists warn that increasing frequency of such disruptions may be linked to climate change, although the debate remains unsettled and natural variability plays a significant role.
Meanwhile, President Trump took issue with global warming, questioning its relevance in light of the current extreme weather event. "WHATEVER HAPPENED TO GLOBAL WARMING??" he posted on social media.
The National Weather Service warned that heavy ice could cause long-duration power outages, extensive tree damage, and extremely hazardous travel conditions. Authorities issued life-threatening cold warnings, particularly in the Northern Plains and Upper Midwest, where wind chill lows were forecast to plummet to extremes under -50F (-45C). Such temperatures can cause frostbite within minutes.
The full extent of the storm's impact is still unfolding, but one thing is clear: this winter storm has brought widespread disruption and death across the US.
I'm not gonna sugarcoat it, this winter storm is a nightmare! 
At least 12 people lost their lives already, and millions are struggling with no power or being stuck on the roads. The South is getting hammered, especially Tennessee where over 300k outages happened 
. Climate change is definitely making these types of extreme weather events more frequent... it's hard to deny that connection 
. Meanwhile, President Trump is trying to downplay it and make a joke about global warming... come on, man! 
The real damage is still being felt, and I hope the US can rally together to support those affected by this disaster 
.
. climate change or not, we gotta be prepared for more extreme weather like this. the science isn't in debate mode when it comes to this stuff. my only hope is that people are staying safe & warm 
. The whole storm seems so unpredictable and intense, like it's a real-life video game 
. I mean, I've heard of polar vortexes before but this is on another level 
. Climate change is definitely playing a role in these extreme weather events and we need to keep talking about it 
. But at the same time, let's not forget that Mother Nature is still the ultimate force to be reckoned with 
.
just thinking about all those people in the dark without heat or hot water is heartbreaking. I know we can't control weather events but it's crazy how climate change is affecting our planet. 
I'm also so worried about those power lines and trees getting hit by that ice, it could lead to a lot of damage. Hope everyone stays safe out there! 
I'm so relieved the national attention is on people affected by the storm instead of climate change debate 
. It's wild how some folks try to politicize every weather event. Anyway, have you seen the footage of the roads? So treacherous! 
️. And I'm curious, do we really need all those flights canceled just because of a storm? 
It's like, life is already crazy enough without having to fly somewhere new every few days 
.
The Northeast got hit with heavy snowfall too... I hope everyone stays safe & warm until the power comes back on 
Anyway, I hope everyone stays safe and warm out there! 
. And can we talk about how our roads/infrastructure aren't prepared for this kind of thing? Like, come on America, invest in some snowplows & salt already! 
The fact that over 840k people were left without electricity is just insane 
. And those treacherous cold temperatures are straight-up terrifying 
This winter storm has already caused so much damage and disruption – all we can do now is support each other and send warmth and comfort to those in need 
.
. Just keep in mind that we're livin' in a crazy world now and stuff like this happens more often.
That's some serious disruption right there. And I get it, President Trump is worried about global warming, but like, come on, we need to work together not fight each other 
.
like, seriously thinking about grilled cheese sandwiches or maybe some stir-fry... anyway, did you know that my favorite video game series, The Elder Scrolls, is coming out with a new season? Like, I've been playing it since Skyrim was still on the scene and now they're doing another one! 
hope everyone stays safe & warm 
. I mean, I know climate change is real and all, but it's hard to believe some people still don't think it's a big deal 
. Seriously though, 19k+ flights cancelled is nuts...