Divided
Just in time for Christmas, the entire United States is hit by a historic cold snap. People are trying to protect themselves from the “life-threatening frost”. But there are already the first victims.
Washington – Icy winds whip snow along the highway. From the car of a policeman in the US state of Wyoming, you can hardly see your hood: “Whiteout”, the snow like a white wall, visibility is zero, every motorist’s nightmare. As can be seen in the dashcam video of the police officer, which the New York Post newspaper posted on its website, motorists across much of the northern and midwestern United States have been feeling the same way over the past few days.
Extreme frost, snowstorms and wind chills: The United States will be hit by a cold snap during the Christmas season. The US Weather Service reported that more than 200 million Americans were affected by severe weather warnings the day before Christmas. Dangers from drastic drops in temperature, freezing winds and massive snowfalls threaten “from coast to coast”. In the US states of Wyoming and Colorado, temperatures dropped by about 40 degrees in 24 hours as the Arctic cold front passed.
According to the website PowerOutage.us, 1.4 million homes in the United States, mostly on the East Coast, were without electricity on Friday.
“Historic” Winter Storm Warning.
The Weather Service had previously warned of a “historic” winter storm. The US media, quoting meteorological experts, warned of the possible emergence of a special and violent storm, the so-called “bomb cyclone”. Values of around minus 45 degrees Celsius have already been measured in the states of Montana, South Dakota and Wyoming. “This is not like a childish snow day,” President Joe Biden warned.
At least five people died in apparently weather-related traffic crashes in Kansas and Oklahoma on Friday, according to media reports. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg warned travelers on American television to be careful. Looking ahead to Christmas, he said: “Many motorists may not be used to driving in winter conditions. (…) Please, please pay close attention to what local authorities say.” Several US states, including including New York, have declared a state of emergency.
More than 3000 canceled flights
There were also chaotic scenes at the airports. The FlightAware website reported that more than 3,000 flights were canceled on Friday morning (local time). Especially passengers from the north, around the great lakes, can plan their Christmas trips. A video posted by the Weather Channel’s website shows an armada of snowplows attempting to clear the tarmac at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport, one of the country’s major airports.
It’s especially tough for those who don’t have a roof over their heads. Across the country, rescuers are trying to save the many homeless people from the cold. At a church mission in Augusta, Georgia, they were preparing for an assault, reported The New York Times. “On a normal night it might not be a matter of life and death,” the head of mission said. “But now.” According to media reports, at least five homeless people froze to death in Salt Lake City, Utah earlier this week. And even in Miami, where it’s usually warm, Homeless Relief has promulgated its cold-weather emergency plan.
In the state of Texas, the extreme cold spell brings back dark memories. Last year the electricity grid collapsed due to the cold and millions of people were left without electricity for days. According to studies, more than 200 people are said to have died as a result. But this time be better prepared. “The power grid is ready and reliable,” the New York Times quoted a manager as saying. As of Friday, more than 80,000 of more than 12 million energy consumers in Texas were without electricity, according to the website PowerOutage.us. Nationwide, more than one million people have been affected.
Huge waves expected on the Great Lakes
The north of the country is particularly affected by ice, wind and snow, especially around the Great Lakes. “Waves of up to twenty feet are expected in each of the Great Lakes,” the Detroit Free Press newspaper quoted a State Meteorological and Oceanographic Administration scientist. Authorities have already responded on the eastern shore of Lake Erie near Niagara Falls. In the city of Hamburg, New York, residents near the water have reportedly been asked to evacuate their homes.
Winter services have also had their hands full in the Chicago metropolis on the shores of Lake Michigan. Further east, in the state of Indiana, the governor has mobilized the National Guard to protect people from the expected snowstorms.
But just as quickly as the phantom cold hit the United States, it could also end again. In some areas of the country’s northwest, temperatures are expected to rise again soon once the cold air core passes, according to forecasts from the National Weather Service. In many places it should be 20-30 degrees warmer by the weekend. dpa
