- By Deeksha Gour
- Mon, 06 Jan 2025 07:52 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
US Winter Storm: A severe winter storm swept through the central United States on Sunday, bringing heavy snow, ice, strong winds and plummeting temperatures. This extreme weather made travel conditions perilous, with forecasters warning of potentially the "heaviest snowfall in a decade" in certain regions.
US Weather Storm: Key Updates
Winter Storm Warnings: The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued winter storm warnings for multiple states, including Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C. These warnings are effective from Sunday night until Tuesday morning, with significant snowfall expected.
States of Emergency: Kentucky, Virginia, West Virginia, Kansas, Arkansas and Missouri have all declared states of emergency. Even Florida is preparing for exceptionally rare freezing conditions.
Flight Disruptions: On Monday, airlines cancelled over 1,300 flights due to the storm. As of 5:13 AM Eastern Time, a total of 1,306 flights were cancelled and 414 flights faced delays, according to FlightAware. Southwest Airlines led the cancellations with 264 flights, followed by American Airlines with 176.
Snowfall Predictions: The NWS forecasts snowfall rates of 1 to 3 inches per hour, making travel extremely dangerous at times. Areas expected to receive between 6 to 12 inches of snow include Ohio, West Virginia and Washington, D.C.
Train Cancellation: Amtrak cancelled several trains due to forecasted winter weather, prioritising the safety of its customers and employees. While the Acela service between Boston and Washington, D.C. remains operational, other routes, including those between Washington and New York, were suspended.
Additional Snow in the Northeast: Light snow is anticipated later on Monday morning and into the afternoon for New Jersey, New York City and Long Island. The storm may create hazardous conditions for the morning commute on the first day of the workweek.
Upcoming Weather Alerts: A new winter storm system is set to arrive on Monday, which has been declared a First Weather Alert Day. In New York, the storm is expected to begin in the early morning and last into the evening.
Snow Accumulation in New York City: The city is likely to see a sharp difference in snowfall totals, with an overall expectation of 1 to 3 inches.
Highway Conditions: Major highways in Kansas, western Nebraska and parts of Indiana have been covered in snow and ice. Indiana has mobilised its National Guard to assist stranded motorists. The NWS stated that areas receiving the highest snow totals could experience the heaviest snowfall seen in at least a decade.
Widespread Weather Advisories: Approximately 63 million Americans were under various winter weather advisories, watches or warnings on Sunday, according to Bob Oravec from the NWS.
Ice Accumulation Risks: The NWS has warned of ice accumulations of up to half an inch in some areas, along with potential widespread tree damage from strong wind gusts. This could lead to prolonged power outages.
