There was a risk of “record-breaking cold and life-threatening gusts of wind,” reports the US Weather Service (NWS). In some areas, temperatures are likely to drop to minus 50 degrees Celsius. According to the NWS experts, heavy snowfall, ice and flooding are to be expected. There might be damage to the infrastructure and massive disruption to air and road traffic.
Three people were killed in traffic accidents caused by the winter storm in the state of Kansas. The cause was snow and icy roads, the police said. In view of the freezing temperatures, the condition of the roads in many places is still very bad, writes the newspaper “USA Today”.
The Arctic cold front moves east from the Midwest. It should reach the east coast on Friday. Meteorologists predict blizzards (heavy snowstorms) on the Great Lakes in the north, black ice on the east coast and bitter cold down to the border with Mexico for the coming days. According to the National Weather Service, cold records might be set in some cities like Philadelphia or Sioux City.
Cold far into the south of the USA
An extreme frost warning has been issued for the states of Louisiana, parts of Mississippi, Alabama and Texas. In some parts of Louisiana, which typically has a more subtropical climate, temperatures as low as minus 15 degrees with strong winds are expected. In Texas one prepares for up to minus 26 degrees.
The states of Georgia, North Carolina and Kentucky declared states of emergency on Wednesday. “We’re expecting weather like we haven’t seen in a decade or more,” said Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp. Temperatures of minus twelve degrees Celsius were predicted for the state on the South Atlantic coast of the USA.
According to estimates, around 90 million people in 37 US states might be affected by the extreme winter weather.
The NWS in New York State warned of a “once-in-a-generation storm” with freezing wind gusts of more than 105 kilometers per hour. In Minnesota, the NWS spoke of a “life-threatening phenomenon” that should be taken seriously.
There might be travel chaos around the holidays
US President Joe Biden found drastic words: “It’s not just a snowy day, like from childhood. It’s serious,” he said in the White House.
At Minneapolis-St. Paul, planes already have to be de-iced
The extreme cold snap might also upset millions of Americans’ Christmas travel plans. The airlines advised all travelers to be prepared for delays and cancellations. Around 2,000 domestic flights had already been canceled by Friday. Countless motorists on the way to the Christmas party with their families should also be affected.
kle/qu/rb (dpa, afp, rtr, ap)