A powerful winter snowstorm is battering the United States, triggering widespread power outages, air travel chaos and casualties. The storm began in the South and is moving into the Midwest and Northeast, with impacts expected to continue through the 26th.
According to the Washington Post (WP) and the New York Times (NYT), as of the afternoon of the 25th local time, more than 1 million households had lost power, centered on southern states such as Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas and Tennessee. In the South, which took a direct hit from the storm the previous day, power lines frozen by bitter cold snapped under the weight of snow and rain and strong winds, and repairs are expected to take several days.
Flight cancellations also piled up. More than 10,000 flights were canceled across the United States in a single day, and including the previous day, more than 14,000 flights were canceled over the weekend. That is roughly one-fourth of the average number of daily flights in the United States and is a level rarely seen since the early days of the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020.
Cancellations were concentrated at airports in the East, including Philadelphia, New York, New Jersey, Washington, D.C., and North Carolina. Already, more than 2,000 flights scheduled to operate on the 26th have been canceled additionally.
There were also casualties from the snowstorm. U.S. media reported that at least eight people had died so far — five in New York, one in Texas and two in Louisiana. Hypothermia was cited among the causes of death.
The National Weather Service (NWS) forecast 30 to 60 centimeters of heavy snow in the Northeast, including New York and Boston. Following snow, sleet and freezing rain, an intense cold wave is expected to persist from the South to the Northeast even after the storm passes.
The Korea Meteorological Administration warned that the region will face "bitter cold and dangerously low wind chills," adding that "this could cause damage across infrastructure to persist for a considerable period." Repeated freezing could turn roads and sidewalks into sheets of ice, posing risks to both drivers and pedestrians.
President Donald Trump called the snowstorm a "historic winter storm," saying, "We are continuously monitoring the situation and maintaining contact with all states in the storm's path." He added, "Please stay safe and warm."
At the state level, at least 22 states and the capital, Washington, D.C., declared states of emergency. According to NBC News, more than 185 million people—over half of the U.S. population—are currently under a snowstorm advisory.
Homeland Security Minister Kristi Noem said at a news conference, "The most important thing residents nationwide can do is stay off the roads," repeatedly urging people to refrain from going out. The federal government closed government agency offices in Washington, D.C., on the 26th and advised federal employees to work from home. Many schools in areas under the snowstorm's influence are also expected to close.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) said on its website that "this powerful winter storm will bring heavy snow, freezing rain and life-threatening wind chills," adding that "more than 230 million people across 34 states could be affected."