US Winter Storm Kills Seven, Leaves Over 800,000 Without Power
A powerful winter storm has swept across the United States, killing at least seven people and cutting electricity to more than 800,000 households. The storm has forced school closures, road shutdowns, and flight cancellations, as life-threatening conditions affect areas from Texas to New England, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).
Two deaths from hypothermia were confirmed in Louisiana, while other fatalities were reported in Texas, Tennessee, and Kansas. By Sunday, poweroutage.us reported over 800,000 homes without electricity. FlightAware also noted that more than 11,000 flights had been canceled due to the storm.
Heavy snow and freezing rain are expected to continue for days, impacting roughly 180 million Americans—over half the country’s population. “The snow and ice will melt very slowly, which could affect recovery efforts,” meteorologist Allison Santorelli of the NWS told CBS News.
Officials confirmed deaths linked to exposure in multiple states. The Louisiana Department of Health reported two hypothermia-related deaths, while Austin’s mayor cited one exposure-related death. Kansas authorities found a woman’s body covered in snow, likely from hypothermia, and Tennessee reported three additional fatalities. In New York City, Mayor Zohran Mamdani said at least five people had died, though the causes were still under investigation.
Governor Kathy Hochul of New York warned residents to stay indoors and avoid roads, calling it “the coldest winter storm in many years” with brutal conditions expected to bring long-lasting snow and extreme cold. Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear noted that the state is experiencing more ice than anticipated, complicating travel and recovery.
Ice accumulation has caused dangerous conditions, including fallen trees and damaged power lines, while authorities in Virginia and Kentucky responded to hundreds of road accidents. Canada has also been affected, with heavy snow prompting hundreds of flight cancellations, particularly in Ontario, where 15–30cm of snow is expected.
Nearly half of the US states have declared emergencies, leading to school closures and disrupted schedules, including postponed US Senate voting. Washington, DC, Mayor Muriel Bowser described the event as “the biggest snowstorm in 10 years.”
The storm is driven by a polar vortex—a strong westerly Arctic wind that traps cold air—which has pushed the cold front south and east. Scientists warn that climate change may influence the behavior of polar vortices, contributing to extreme weather events like this one. The severe cold and dangerous conditions are expected to persist into early February.
