Severe Winter Storm Hits Millions Across the US

A powerful winter storm struck the United States on Sunday, with meteorologists alerting millions in the East to blizzard conditions and forecasting the heaviest snowfall in a decade for some areas.

Over 60 million people are in the path of the severe storm, which is expected to bring Arctic air and a deep freeze to the eastern United States through Monday, causing significant travel disruptions.

The National Weather Service (NWS) issued warnings for ice, snow, and strong winds in states from the Central Plains to the Mid-Atlantic.

Winter storm warnings have been issued across a wide 1,500-mile (2,400-kilometer) stretch, from western Kansas to the coastal states of Maryland, Delaware, and Virginia, with many areas under immediate threat.

Disruptive Conditions Expected Across Central Plains to Mid-Atlantic

The National Weather Service (NWS) earlier warned of a “disruptive winter storm” affecting the Central Plains to the Mid-Atlantic through Monday, with widespread heavy snow and damaging ice accumulation.

In its latest Sunday report, the Weather Prediction Center noted that the storm would bring heavy snowfall and wind gusts over 40 mph (64 kph) to parts of Kansas and Missouri.

Snowfall totals are expected to exceed 15 inches (38 centimeters), marking “the heaviest in a decade,” according to the agency.

Scientists attribute the increasing frequency and severity of extreme weather events to human-induced climate change.

The first major storm of 2025 has already caused significant travel disruptions, with Kansas City International Airport closing its flight operations on Saturday due to “rapid ice accumulation.”

Operations resumed later after airfield runways and taxiways were treated, as stated by Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas on social media.

Parts of eastern New York and Pennsylvania are facing “heavy lake-effect snow” from the Great Lakes, with accumulations of up to two feet (61 cm) expected, according to the NWS.

AccuWeather reported on Saturday that the total lake-effect snow in the region, which had already been covered in snow this week, could exceed four feet.

Whiteout Conditions and Dangerous Travel

A blizzard is set to strike the Central Plains by early Sunday, with the NWS warning of “whiteout conditions” that will make travel extremely dangerous, leading to impassable roads and a high risk of motorists getting stranded.

Washington, D.C., could see up to five inches of snow, with some nearby areas possibly receiving as much as 10 inches.

As the jet stream moves southward, temperatures are expected to drop, potentially falling below zero degrees Fahrenheit (-18 degrees Celsius) in some places, with strong wind gusts increasing the risks.

Temperatures could plummet well below seasonal averages, even reaching the US Gulf Coast. Before this, severe thunderstorms are anticipated across the lower Mississippi Valley, according to the NWS.

Freezing Rain and Sleet to Impact Kansas to Virginia

Freezing rain and sleet are also expected to affect areas from Kansas to Kentucky and Virginia, leading to thick ice accumulation on roads, which will make travel hazardous, bring down trees and power lines, and possibly leave millions without electricity during the cold snap.

The NWS warned of widespread tree damage and “long-lasting power outages” from Kansas to the central Appalachian Mountains.

Conditions could be particularly dangerous in the Appalachians, where a deadly hurricane in late September caused widespread destruction across several southeastern states, including Kentucky, and many communities are still recovering.

Governor Andy Beshear warned at an emergency meeting that the new storm “is likely to cause major disruptions and dangerous road conditions, as well as significant power outages, just 24 hours before extremely cold temperatures hit Kentucky.”

The governors of Kentucky, Missouri, and Virginia have declared states of emergency in their respective states and used social media to alert residents about the hazardous weather expected this weekend.

Read the original article on: Science Alert

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