Almost one million Americans have been left without power as the “biggest ice storm in a decade” continues to batter the US.
The massive storm has swept across 37 states, leaving more than 180 million people facing severe weather conditions.
The National Weather Service reports that 17 states, along with the District of Columbia, have declared states of emergency, positioning rescue crews and essential supplies in readiness.
Northeastern states could see up to two feet of snow overnight into Monday, with forecasters warning of freezing rain and what they described as “catastrophic ice accumulation” in areas spared the heaviest snowfall.
Tens of millions are expected to face dangerously low wind chills in the coming days.
Josh Weiss from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration called the storm “unique”, highlighting its extraordinary 2,000-mile reach and the severe cold set to persist throughout the week.
The storm’s scale and intensity have prompted meteorologists to issue their toughest warnings in years.
Sunday saw the highest single-day flight cancellations since the COVID-19 pandemic, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium, with FlightAware tracking an additional 8,000 delays.
The massive storm has left more than 180 million people facing severe weather conditions
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New York Governor Kathy Hochul described the conditions as an ‘Arctic siege’
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Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has urged Americans to stay indoors amid the “very, very cold” conditions sweeping much of the country.
In New York City, Mayor Zohran Mamdani said thousands of refuse lorries have been converted into snow ploughs to tackle the storm, warning residents to expect the coldest weather in eight years.
Schools across the city will move to remote learning on Monday, with similar measures in place in other affected states.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul described the conditions as an “Arctic siege”, adding: “It is brutal, it is bone-chilling and it is dangerous”.
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Sunday saw the highest single-day flight cancellations since the COVID-19 pandemic
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Zohran Mamdani said thousands of refuse lorries have been converted into snow ploughs
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Tens of millions are expected to face dangerously low wind chills in the coming days
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Communities near the Canadian border have recorded record-breaking temperature drops, with Copenhagen in Lewis County hitting -45C.
New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill introduced a 35mph speed limit on motorways, warning of conditions “the likes of which we haven’t seen in years.”
Tennessee faced the worst power outages, with over 300,000 households left without electricity, while Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi each saw more than 100,000 connections fail.
Georgia’s senior state meteorologist Will Lanxton warned of “perhaps the biggest ice storm we’ve seen in more than a decade”.
President Donald Trump promised to ‘keep everyone safe’
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The extreme weather saw more than 50 flights from Heathrow to the US axed on Sunday, leaving thousands of British travellers on limbo.
British Airways bore the brunt of the cancellations, with 41 transatlantic services scrapped according to FlightAware data.
President Donald Trump promised to “keep everyone safe” as the “historic storm” approached, urging those in its path to take precautions.
He wrote on his Truth Social platform: ”We will continue to monitor and stay in touch with all states in the path of this storm. Stay safe, and stay warm.”
