Unprecedented storm in US leaves 28 dead, 380,000 homes without power
Over 8,000 flights have been canceled due to the Arctic blast.
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Cars ravaged and moved by the Arctic blast in the US. (AP)
The National Weather Service has reported that 60% of the US population has already faced a warning or advisory regarding the weather due to the brutal storm that will be ongoing for some days.
The storm has left at least 28 people dead and around 380,000 homes and businesses powerless. Since Friday, over 8,000 flights have been canceled due to the Arctic blast.
The storm, according to the NWS, is unprecedented in its scope, its effects ranging from the Great Lakes next to Canada to the Rio Grande River in Mexico.
Temperatures have drastically plummeted from Rocky Mountains' east to the Appalachians after the cyclone. Weathermen contend that this developed near the Great Lakes, causing blizzard conditions, including heavy winds and snow.
“The life-threatening cold temperatures and dangerous wind chills will create a potentially life-threatening hazard for travelers that become stranded,” the NWS said.
Deaths that have been attributed to the weather conditions have been registered in Colorado, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Michigan, Nebraska, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Vermont and Wisconsin.
On Saturday, Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz told reporters that the blizzard is expected to continue until at least Sunday morning, warning that the storm could go on for a minimum of 36 hours.
“This is still a life-threatening situation. This is nothing to be trifled with,” Poloncarz stressed, adding that National Guard troops were arriving to “rescue people that are stuck in vehicles.”
On his part, Buffalo Diocese Bishop Michael W. Fisher called on churches to livestream Christmas Mass because of the severe weather.
“Although it is Christmas, in these dangerous conditions, no one should put themselves or others at risk,” he tweeted.
'Once-in-a-generation' Arctic storm
The United States experienced travel mayhem on Thursday due to a "once-in-a-generation" winter storm that brought about temperatures as low as -40 degrees Fahrenheit.
Thousands of flights were canceled, and key roadways were closed.
A massive cold front that came down from the Arctic and grabbed chilling hold of the middle of the country disrupted Christmas preparations during one of the busiest times of the year with heavy snow and howling winds.
Weather forecasters warned that it was so cold in some areas that going outside might result in frostbite within minutes for tens of millions of people.
"This is not like a snow day when you were a kid," President Joe Biden told reporters. "This is serious stuff."
100 million people were expected to use the roads but already blinding whiteouts and dangerous driving conditions were on the rise, as per the American Automobile Association.
