A severe storm wreaked havoc across large parts of the United States over the Christmas weekend. Extreme cold, heavy snow and freezing winds caused power outages in more than 1.2 million US homes, the PowerOutage website showed on Friday evening (local time). Ice and snow have messed with many travelers’ plans: According to flight data website FlightAware, more than 5,000 flights were canceled on Friday and nearly 9,000 were delayed. According to media reports, at least 13 people died in traffic accidents. Traffic has been completely blocked on many roads.
More than 200 million people have had the day before Christmas severe weather warning gain. Initially, the north and central-west of the country were particularly hard hit. But there have also been warnings of extreme frost in the country’s southern states. On Saturday night the storm is expected to move more towards the eastern part of the United States. “Dangerous cold” is expected in the eastern two-thirds of the country over the holiday weekend, the US Weather Service has warned. New Yorkdeclared a state of emergency.
Accumulation with more than 50 vehicles
A serious accident causes a sensation. At least four people have died in a pile-up involving about 50 vehicles on the Ohio Turnpike, according to soldiers who were at the scene. Many others were injured. Rescuers are in action. The series of accidents occurred between State Route 53 and Route 4 in Erie County. The road was closed for several kilometers in both directions and traffic was diverted.
Buses carried people stranded on the highway to safety. Why: For much of the region, there’s a warning against being outdoors when temperatures are well below freezing. The so-called white-out conditions (combination of fog and snowfall) remain in effect, it says. Of To travel he is discouraged.
Governor of New York: “I ask everyone not to take to the streets tonight”
“I ask everyone not to take to the streets tonight as conditions will worsen as temperatures continue to drop across the state. Wrap up, stay indoors, and take care of yourself this weekend,” New York Gov. Kathy Hochul urged residents.
The US media, citing meteorological experts, warned of the possible development of a special and violent storm, a so-called “bomb cyclone”. Values of around minus 45 degrees Celsius have already been measured in the states of Montana, South Dakota and Wyoming. According to meteorologists, temperatures in Denver, Colorado dropped about 40 degrees in 24 hours as the arctic cold front passed. “This is not like a childish snow day,” President Joe Biden warned.
There were also chaotic scenes at the airports. Especially passengers from the north, around the great lakes, had to cancel trips. The airports in Chicago and Detroit are among the most important hubs in the country. Video posted by the Weather Channel’s website showed an armada of snowplows attempting to clear the tarmac at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport.
FedEx: Gift delivery dates cannot be met
Many families may even wake up on Christmas morning to find that there are no presents. FedEx said on its website that previously promised guaranteed delivery dates may not be met due to “significant” weather disruptions.
“We recognize the importance of deliveries this bank holiday weekend and are committed to providing the service to the best of our ability, taking emergency measures wherever possible and safe,” the message read.
“It’s not like a beautiful snowy day when you were a kid, it’s really serious”
In most of the country since Canadian Bordering south, from the Pacific Northwest to the East Coast, there are still dangers from winter weather, the US Weather Service said Friday morning. Forecasters have urged people to stay indoors if possible. If you go outside, you risk freezing within minutes. For longer stays there is also the risk of death.
President Joe Biden warned his countrymen: “This is not like a beautiful childhood snowy day. This is really serious.” The bitter cold affected more than 1 million U.S. consumers, mostly in the southern and eastern United States, who suffered power outages as of Friday morning, according to the website poweroutage.us.
The storm hit the country just before one of the highlights of the annual road trip: According to the American Automobile Association, about 100 million people plan to travel by car during the Christmas season. Several states, including Oklahoma, New York, Kentucky, Georgia and North Carolina, have declared states of emergency.
4,000 flights canceled by Friday noon
Traffic departments in the states of North and South Dakota, Oklahoma and Iowa, among others, reported poor visibility, ice-covered roads and snowstorm conditions. According to local authorities, at least five people died in car crashes in Oklahoma and Kentucky.
In the state of South Dakota, authorities have classified several expressways as “impassable”. Driving is “impossible due to widespread deep snow and drifts,” the state Department of Transportation said.
According to flight tracking website Flight Aware, more than 4,000 flights were canceled by noon Friday, many of them at international hubs in New York, Seattle and Chicago. As early as Thursday, some 10,000 flights within the United States were delayed and 2,600 canceled. US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg told MSNBC that about 10% of commercial flights were canceled on Thursday.
Bomb Cyclone created by “Bombogenesis”
In the run-up to the storm, the US Weather Service had warned of “record-breaking chilling and life-threatening wind gusts” spreading from the Rocky Mountains to the eastern half of the United States. According to AccuWeather forecasts, the storm could rapidly intensify into a so-called bomb cyclone. It is caused by “bombogenesis”, a phenomenon where cold and warm air masses meet as air pressure falls. In this case, temperatures could go as low as minus 60 degrees Celsius, according to the US space agency NASA This almost matches the temperature on Mars.
Glasgow Weather Service Chief Meteorologist Rich Maliawco has warned of the dangers of such extreme weather conditions. If people are not properly dressed in such temperatures, “they can freeze in less than five minutes,” Maliawco told AFP.
