A powerful winter storm is sweeping across the United States, with meteorologists warning that more than 60 million people in the eastern part of the country are facing blizzard conditions. Some regions are expected to experience the heaviest snowfall in a decade.
The National Weather Service (NWS) issued a warning on Sunday for ice, snow, and gale-force winds stretching from the central plains to the mid-Atlantic.
As a result of the storm, a state of emergency has been declared in Kentucky, Missouri, and Virginia. Over 60 million people are in the storm’s path, which is expected to bring a deep freeze of Arctic air through Monday, causing significant travel disruptions.
Winter storm warnings are in effect across a 2,400km (1,500-mile) stretch, from western Kansas to the coastal states of Maryland, Delaware, and Virginia. The NWS described the storm as “disruptive” with widespread heavy snow and damaging ice accumulations.
Areas from northeastern Kansas to north-central Missouri are predicted to receive “the heaviest snowfall in a decade.”
Flights Disrupted and Travel Hazards
The storm has already disrupted travel, with Kansas City International Airport halting flight operations on Saturday due to rapid ice accumulation. Flights resumed after airfield runways and taxiways were treated, as confirmed by Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas on social media.
Temperatures are expected to plummet below zero degrees Fahrenheit (-18°C), with Washington, D.C., anticipating up to five inches or more of snow.
Freezing rain and sleet are expected to stretch from Kansas eastward to Kentucky and Virginia, creating hazardous travel conditions, downing trees and power lines, and potentially leaving millions without electricity during the cold snap.
The storm is a major concern for the Appalachians, particularly for communities still recovering from a deadly hurricane in September. Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear warned that the storm could cause severe disruptions to road conditions and power outages just as temperatures drop.
