The winter storm is finishing its passage through the northeastern US with heavy precipitation kicking off the work week. It is accumulating ice on roads, causing massive power outages, and dropping temperatures to extreme levels in the south and east of the country.
Record snowfall from Arkansas to New England
The winter storm leaves more than 30 centimeters of snow across a 2,100-kilometer stretch. In critical areas, forecasts indicate up to 60 centimeters, paralyzing traffic and closing schools in several states. Airports report thousands of cancellations and delays.
Crisis in Falmouth, Massachusetts
In Falmouth, south of Boston, the winter storm forces the city to shut down. Local official Nell Fields shovels 18 centimeters of snow from her home to get out. “I feel like the universe put us on a big pause with all this snow,” she states, highlighting the forced silence.
Severe cold wave affects millions
A severe cold wave follows the winter storm, with an average low of -12.3°C across the 48 contiguous states, the lowest since 2014 according to the National Weather Service. Ryan Maue, former chief scientist of NOAA, explains that the heat in Florida prevented worse averages. Intense cold alerts cover everything from Montana to northeastern Florida, with temperatures down to -18°C and even lower wind chill values.
Impact in the South and fatalities
In Mississippi, Governor Tate Reeves describes this winter storm as the worst since 1994, with freezing rain bringing down trees and damaging power lines. Salt and sand are deployed in historic amounts. More than 213 million people are under alerts, with hundreds of thousands left without power in Tennessee and Mississippi. Air transportation suffers 12,000 cancellations and 20,000 delays.
- Five deaths in New York due to cold exposure.
- Two fatalities in Louisiana from hypothermia.
In Manhattan’s Upper East Side, residents turn streets into recreational zones. Nell Fields reflects: “It has given us silence and the opportunity to think about what truly matters: community and taking care of one another.” This winter storm is reminiscent of past events like the 1994 storm in Mississippi, with persistent hazards on slippery roads.
