On January 16, 2024, a city worker was clearing snow from the sidewalk in Manhattan, New York City. (Charly Triballeau/AFP)
[The Epoch Times, January 16, 2024](Comprehensive report by Epoch Times reporter Zhang Ting) With the invasion of the Arctic cold current, more than 200 million people in the United States will be affected by heavy snow, ice, and dangerously low temperatures and wind chills on Tuesday (January 16) , resulting in a large number of flights being canceled and many regions being forced to close schools, affecting more than 1 million students. Tens of thousands of homes and businesses were hit by power outages.
The severe weather spread over a wide area, with some areas falling below minus 30 degrees Celsius
As of early Tuesday morning, 23 U.S. states had received ice and snow warnings. Dangerous extreme cold weather affected much of the Rockies, Great Plains and Midwest, with temperatures falling below minus 30 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 34.4 degrees Celsius) in many areas of the central United States.
Severe thunderstorms are also possible Tuesday in Florida from Jacksonville to Orlando, Tampa and Fort Myers, where damaging winds and tornadoes are also possible.
Snow fell early Tuesday across much of northeastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey, as well as in cities such as New York City and Boston. Snow is expected to continue throughout the morning in these areas.
Freezing rain and sleet are expected to continue into Tuesday morning in parts of the Southeast. Lawrence, Limestone, and Madison counties in Alabama, Franklin County in Tennessee, southeastern Arkansas, northeastern Louisiana, and northern Mississippi A winter storm warning is in effect for much of the , Central and Southwest.
Moderate to heavy snow is expected to hit the Mid-Atlantic on Tuesday morning, according to information reported by the National Weather Service. Areas from the Mid-Atlantic to New England are under winter weather warnings. Through Wednesday, another 2 to 4 inches (5 to 10 centimeters) of snow are expected to fall in New York state, and 6 to 8 inches (15 to 20 centimeters) in parts of New England.
In the Pacific Northwest, significant freezing rain is expected Tuesday morning, and an ice storm warning is in effect into Wednesday morning. Parts from the Cascades to the Northern Rockies could get 15 to 28 inches (38 to 71 centimeters) of snow.
The National Weather Service said much of the Rockies, Great Plains and Midwest are expected to see another record low on Tuesday, with wind chills in the low 30s extending into the central Mississippi Valley.
Temperatures dropped to 10 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 12.2 degrees Celsius) in Olive Branch, Mississippi, and Jackson, Tennessee, on Monday night.
Tens of thousands of homes and businesses are without power and schools are closed
More than 85,000 U.S. homes and businesses were without power early Tuesday, mostly in Oregon. Portland General Electric warned that the threat of freezing rain on Tuesday could delay power restoration efforts. Transportation officials urged residents to avoid travel as roads are expected to become slick with ice.
Weather-related school closures affected more than a million students across the country on Tuesday. Schools in Portland and other major cities canceled classes, including Chicago (home to the nation’s fourth-largest public school district), Denver, Dallas, Fort Worth, New England and Washington. Special District. Federal offices in and around Washington were also closed Tuesday.
Thousands of flights canceled or delayed
The severe weather affected most airports across the country, from Houston and Chicago to New York.
US Airways travelers have been hit by flight delays and cancellations. The flight tracking service FlightAware reported that 3,340 flights within the United States, in and out of the United States were canceled on Monday, and 10,863 flights were delayed. There were further flight disruptions on Tuesday. As of press time, 1,445 flights have been canceled and 2,390 flights have been delayed on Tuesday.
FlightAware shows more than 1,000 flights have been canceled every day since Friday.
multiple deaths
The recent winter storms and low temperatures have affected everything from air travel to the NFL playoffs to the presidential primary in Iowa, and have resulted in multiple deaths.
At least four people have died in the Portland area, two of whom were suspected of suffering from hypothermia; another man died when a tree fell on his house; and a tree fell on an RV, causing a fire in the stove. It spread and a woman died.
In Utah, the Highway Patrol said a snowmobiler was killed. In Austin, Texas, a person was found dead at a homeless encampment. Much of Texas remains under a severe cold warning.
In Wisconsin, the deaths of three homeless people in the Milwaukee area are under investigation, with officials saying they may have died from hypothermia.
Temperatures are expected to moderate by the middle of the week, but a new wave of stronger cold air will move south through the Northern Plains and Midwest, reaching the Deep South this weekend.
(This article refers to reports from the Associated Press, ABC News and USA Today)
Editor in charge: Lin Yan#
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2024-01-16 16:23:53