"Historic" Storm Brings Chaos to US as Over 100,000 Without Power and Thousands of Flights Cancelled
A powerful winter storm has brought widespread disruption to the United States, leaving over 100,000 households without power and thousands of flights grounded ahead of a potentially historic event. The National Weather Service warned that nearly 180 million people - more than half the US population - were in the storm's path, facing heavy snow, sleet, and freezing rain.
The storm system was described as "historic" by President Donald Trump, who approved federal emergency disaster declarations in several states. The Department of Homeland Security warned Americans to take precautions, with DHS Secretary Kristi Noem advising people to stock up on fuel, food, and warm clothing.
As the storm batters the country's southwest and central regions, forecasters predict that the damage could rival that of a hurricane, particularly in areas pounded by ice. The worst was predicted for parts of southern Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee, where ice cover is expected to reach up to 2.5cm.
Major US airlines warned passengers to stay alert for flight changes and cancellations, with Delta Air cancelling additional flights on Saturday and JetBlue reporting over 1,000 cancellations through Monday. Flight tracking website FlightAware reported that more than 4,000 US flights had been cancelled on Saturday alone.
The storm has also taken a toll on the power grid, with over 130,000 US customers losing electricity, primarily in Texas and Louisiana. In Dallas, temperatures plummeted to -6 degrees Celsius, while Mayor John Whitmire urged residents to hunker down for at least 72 hours.
As the storm intensifies, authorities are urging caution, particularly in areas where life-threatening wind chill readings have reached below -45C (-50F). "Please, if you can avoid it, do not drive, do not travel, do not do anything that can potentially place you or your loved ones in danger," said New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
A powerful winter storm has brought widespread disruption to the United States, leaving over 100,000 households without power and thousands of flights grounded ahead of a potentially historic event. The National Weather Service warned that nearly 180 million people - more than half the US population - were in the storm's path, facing heavy snow, sleet, and freezing rain.
The storm system was described as "historic" by President Donald Trump, who approved federal emergency disaster declarations in several states. The Department of Homeland Security warned Americans to take precautions, with DHS Secretary Kristi Noem advising people to stock up on fuel, food, and warm clothing.
As the storm batters the country's southwest and central regions, forecasters predict that the damage could rival that of a hurricane, particularly in areas pounded by ice. The worst was predicted for parts of southern Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee, where ice cover is expected to reach up to 2.5cm.
Major US airlines warned passengers to stay alert for flight changes and cancellations, with Delta Air cancelling additional flights on Saturday and JetBlue reporting over 1,000 cancellations through Monday. Flight tracking website FlightAware reported that more than 4,000 US flights had been cancelled on Saturday alone.
The storm has also taken a toll on the power grid, with over 130,000 US customers losing electricity, primarily in Texas and Louisiana. In Dallas, temperatures plummeted to -6 degrees Celsius, while Mayor John Whitmire urged residents to hunker down for at least 72 hours.
As the storm intensifies, authorities are urging caution, particularly in areas where life-threatening wind chill readings have reached below -45C (-50F). "Please, if you can avoid it, do not drive, do not travel, do not do anything that can potentially place you or your loved ones in danger," said New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.