- At least five people have died across the US due to a powerful winter storm
- The storm has led to school closures, travel disruptions and power outages
- Seven states have declared emergencies due to the extreme conditions
Five dead as massive winter storm sweeps US
A powerful winter storm has claimed at least five lives across the United States, bringing widespread school closures, travel disruptions, and significant power outages.
Seven states—Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Kansas, Missouri, Kentucky, and Arkansas—have declared emergencies in response to the extreme weather conditions. The polar vortex, a mass of icy air typically confined to the North Pole, is driving the severe storm.
Air travel has been severely affected, with over 2,300 flights cancelled and nearly 9,000 delays reported. Early Tuesday, approximately 190,000 people were without power across states in the storm’s path, according to Poweroutage.us.
The National Weather Service (NWS) forecasts continued snow and sleet across much of the northeastern US throughout the day. Although precipitation is expected to taper off, the arrival of frigid Arctic air will likely keep conditions icy for several weeks.