Winter has unleashed its full fury across the U.S., plunging millions into an icy ordeal. A colossal storm system has delivered over a foot of snow from Arkansas to New England, while freezing rain has coated parts of the South in treacherous ice. This widespread cold snap has tragically claimed at least 29 lives, with victims succumbing to exposure, accidents, and other storm-related incidents.
The storm’s immediate aftermath has been particularly harsh for over 670,000 homes and businesses, primarily in the South, left without electricity. Freezing rain caused tree limbs to shatter and power lines to snap, leading to crippling outages in places like Mississippi and Tennessee. Mississippi experienced its worst ice storm since 1994, with Oxford’s mayor describing streets as looking like a “tornado went down every street” due to fallen debris. Families, like one in Nashville, even resorted to booking hotel rooms just to keep essentials like baby milk frozen and their families warm.
Daily life across affected regions came to a standstill. Deep snow brought traffic to a halt, grounded thousands of flights nationwide (with 45% of U.S. flights canceled on Sunday), and closed schools. Even New York City, seeing its snowiest day in years, shifted to online lessons, a testament to the storm’s severity.
The challenge isn’t over. Forecasters warn that the bitter cold is here to stay, with a fresh wave of arctic air expected to keep temperatures dangerously low. There’s even a potential for another winter storm to hit the East Coast this coming weekend. This event serves as a powerful reminder of nature’s might and the importance of preparedness. Stay safe, stay warm, and look out for your neighbors.
Source: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/northeast-winter-storm_n_69774d16e4b00e79865d7bd8
