More than two-thirds of the US population was under an extreme weather alert on Friday as a result of an Arctic winter storm, with temperatures expected to dip to -45C in some areas this week.
Thousands of flights have been canceled across the United States and Canada as a result of the severe freeze, causing travel mayhem in the days leading up to Christmas, while homes and businesses have been left without power and at least three people have died.
Winter Storm Sweeps Across US, Canada
State of emergency has been issued by the governors of New York, Kentucky, North Carolina, West Virginia, Georgia, and Oklahoma. The National Weather Service reported that more than 240 million people were under weather advisories on Friday as a column of brutal cold stretching from Texas to Montana began to advance eastward.
On December 22, when an arctic cold front pushed into the region's southeast, the water right from the faucet froze at a company in McAlester, Oklahoma. In this scary video, Angela Smith can be heard stating, "This is happening in real-time" as water freezes in the sink, according to Flipboard.
The footage was captured in the facility where Smith often trains her dogs. The National Weather Service issued a wind chill advisory until 12 p.m. CST.
Per Yahoo, parts of the southern states of Louisiana, Alabama, Florida, and Georgia were issued freeze warnings. As North Americans prepare for the coldest Christmas in decades, the National Weather Service has issued a warning that frostbite might occur within five to 10 minutes.
Frostbite can result in inadequate blood flow to the limbs, which can cause tissue rupture and, in extreme instances, necessitate amputation. The agency has issued a bomb cyclone warning for Friday. A bomb cyclone occurs when a midlatitude cyclone strengthens by at least 24 millibars, the measure of atmospheric pressure, within 24 hours.
In a briefing, President Joe Biden stated, "This is not like a snow day when you were a child; this is real business." Even typically warmer places like Florida and Texas are seeing harsh weather. El Paso, Texas, where migrants are camping on the streets, may see temperatures as low as -9.4C.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul issued a warning about ice jams, which occur when big pieces of ice impede the flow of a river and can cause floods. High winds, heavy snow and ice, as well as the strain of higher-than-usual energy needs, were predicted to cause power disruptions.
Even before the storm completely formed, one of the largest direct effects was the disruption of commercial aviation traffic during the holiday travel season. According to flight-tracking website FlightAware, more than 5,000 US flights scheduled for Thursday and Friday were canceled, with two major airports in Chicago responsible for roughly 1,300 of the cancellations.
The monitoring service stated that more than 3,400 flights inside, into, and out of the United States were canceled on Friday alone, generating extra chaos for holiday-bound travelers. Some airports have closed runways, notably Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.
Friday morning, at least 1,400,000 households and businesses were without power. Even in Detroit, where some shelters were nearly full on Thursday, the weather contributed to strong demand for homeless shelters. And in Portland, Oregon, four emergency shelters were opened.
Holiday Season Travel Chaos
From British Columbia to Newfoundland, a large portion of Canada is also under extreme cold and winter storm warnings. Several Ontario school boards, including Toronto, have canceled classes. This storm will deliver the coldest Christmas in decades, according to forecasts.
The National Weather Service (NWS) predicted temperatures as low as -50F (-45C) and as low as -70F. Per BBC, several deaths in the United States have been connected to adverse weather. Due to bad road conditions, three deadly vehicle collisions have been reported in the state of Kansas.
Governor Andy Beshear announced on Friday that at least three more people had died in Kentucky; two were murdered in vehicle accidents and a third were classified as "home insecure." A guy believed to be homeless in Fort Worth, Texas, died after being discovered outside in the harsh weather. The Arctic air mass is expected to bring gusty winds and a temperature of 15F (-9.4C) to El Paso, Texas, where recently arriving illegal migrants are camping on the city streets.
Some interstate roads in Western New York and South Dakota have been blocked due to hazardous driving conditions. The storm also brought flooding to areas of the east coast of the United States on Friday, resulting in the suspension of train operations on the Long Island Rail Road, while Lake Ontario on the US-Canada border may experience waves as high as 37 feet.
The Ohio governor, Mike DeWine, referred to the weather as "unusual and dangerous," especially as people travel to be with loved ones during the Christmas holiday. The storm has already struck devastation in Colorado, Kansas, Wyoming, and Minnesota's northern region.
The Wyoming Highway Patrol received 787 calls for assistance and reported 104 collisions in only 12 hours on Wednesday. Since Friday morning, freezing rain, heavy snow, and ice pellets have caused around 100 accidents in Ontario, Canada, according to local authorities.
FlightAware reports that more than 6,900 flights have been canceled on Thursday and Friday in the United States. WestJet alone canceled 266 flights in Canada on Friday. In preparation for travel difficulties, major airlines such as United, Delta, and American have waived rescheduling costs for passengers wishing to change their flights.
Related Article : Winter Storm Warning December 2022: US, Canada Must Brace for Cold Wave That Can Cause Frostbite in 5-10 Minutes
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