Deadly Winter Storm Leaves Dozens Without Power as Brutal Cold Grips Much of U.S.

A powerful winter storm continues to leave widespread destruction across the United States, claiming at least a dozen lives and knocking out power to hundreds of thousands of homes as brutal cold lingers from the Plains to the East Coast.

The storm brought heavy snow, thick ice and dangerous temperatures to large portions of the country, with Mississippi, Tennessee, Louisiana and Texas among the hardest-hit states. Officials report storm-related deaths in Massachusetts, Tennessee, Kansas, New York, Texas, Louisiana and Michigan.

Ice accumulation caused extensive damage in the South, snapping tree limbs and power poles while weighing down electrical lines. Utility crews say restoration efforts could take days in some areas, particularly in northern Mississippi and parts of Tennessee, where officials described the damage as devastating.

At its peak, more than one million customers were without electricity. As of Monday midday, roughly 750,000 customers remained in the dark, including about 250,000 in Tennessee, more than 150,000 in Mississippi and over 120,000 in Louisiana. Power companies warn that continued cold and lingering ice could lead to additional outages as stressed trees and lines remain vulnerable.

More than 200 million people are under cold weather alerts, with record-low temperatures expected to continue through much of the week. Snow covered more than half of the Lower 48 states, and at least 18 states reported a foot or more of accumulation.

Travel has also been severely impacted. Airlines canceled more than 11,600 flights Sunday — the highest daily total since the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic — with thousands more canceled Monday as major airports struggled to recover.

Emergency officials urge residents to stay off icy roads, conserve heat where possible, and check on vulnerable neighbors as recovery efforts continue.

Credit: CNN Newsource
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