A historic cold wave sweeping across North America, including the United States and Canada, led to 12,000 flight cancellations and left hundreds of thousands of households without power. In the United States alone, a record 190 million people—more than half the mainland population—fell under the influence of the winter storm. The storm, which already pounded the South, is expanding as it zeros in on key East Coast areas, including New York and Washington, D.C., on the 25th.
According to the National Weather Service, as of the afternoon of the 24th (local time), 22 mainland states declared states of emergency related to the winter storm. Winter storm warnings accompanied by heavy snow and extreme cold were issued across roughly 2,100 kilometers from the south-central United States to the Northeast.
In parts of northern Minnesota, temperatures fell to minus 40 degrees, making frostbite a serious risk after just minutes outdoors. In southern Texas and Louisiana, a phenomenon known as an "ice storm" appeared. After rain or snow, freezing set in immediately, forming thick layers of ice on power lines, tree branches, and roads. In particular, with ice thicker than 0.6 centimeters accumulating, power lines and trees buckled under the weight and fell. As a result, power was cut off in many parts of the South, with about 55,000 households in Texas and 25,000 households in Louisiana suffering outages.
New York, the economic heart, also took a direct hit from this winter storm. As the risk of accidents from heavy snow and ice grew, New York City weather authorities abruptly postponed early voting for a special election that had been scheduled for the 25th. Commuter trains and bus lines connecting New York and New Jersey also halted service starting Sunday afternoon. Supermarkets across New York City were packed with residents looking to stock up on emergency food and daily necessities in advance. Panic buying led to key items selling out in many places.
Air travel is virtually paralyzed. According to the AP, about 12,000 flights scheduled to take off or land across the United States over the weekend were canceled. It is among the largest numbers of cancellations from a single weather event in the past decade. In particular, operations plunged at major hub airports, including New York's LaGuardia Airport and John F. Kennedy International Airport, causing disruptions to global air cargo as well.
Weather experts warned that the situation goes beyond a simple snowstorm to one that threatens survival. Citing a National Weather Service meteorologist, the AP said, "The storm itself is powerful, but the record-setting cold that arrives immediately afterward is the bigger problem," adding, "The extreme cold will lock in the snow and ice and delay recovery work for days." National Weather Service Director Ken Graham also said it is "an extremely dangerous situation rarely matched in scope and intensity," strongly urging residents to remain indoors.
President Donald Trump ordered federal-level support for disaster response. The population living in areas where the wind chill is dropping below zero under the current winter storm warnings stands at 273 million. Reuters projected that the storm will move into the Northeast while maintaining its strength through the 26th. Bloomberg also projected that economic losses from power grid overloads and paralyzed logistics will reach the trillions of won. Weather authorities expect the cold wave to persist throughout next week and are urging state governments to secure de-icing supplies and operate temporary shelters.