A massive winter storm is bearing down on the United States with a hazardous mix of freezing rain and heavy snow threatening some 160 million people through the weekend, prompting states of emergency across at least 14 states and Washington, D.C., and warnings of “catastrophic” icy conditions.
The National Weather Service said the sprawling system could bring catastrophic ice accumulation capable of downing trees and power lines, leading to long-duration power outages and making travel extremely dangerous or impossible. The storm is expected to linger for days, spreading from the West and the nation’s midsection into the densely populated Mid-Atlantic and Northeast while ushering in a deep, frigid air mass.
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Forecasters said the storm formed off the California coast and will sweep east across the Rockies and Plains before sliding into the Ohio Valley and up the Eastern Seaboard. Along its path, communities should expect a volatile mix: crippling ice in some corridors, blinding snowfall elsewhere, and dangerous winds that will amplify the cold.
As of Friday morning, parts of the Upper Midwest were already seeing life-threatening wind chills forecast to plunge to around minus 55 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 48 Celsius). Officials warned that the Arctic blast could persist for a week in some areas, with even brief trips outside posing serious health risks.
In Texas, where a deadly winter storm five years ago knocked out power to millions, state officials said they are better prepared. “There is no expectation whatsoever that there’s going to be any loss of power from the power grid,” Republican Gov. Greg Abbott told reporters, adding the grid “has never been stronger, never been more prepared and is fully capable of handling this winter storm.”
Farther north, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul urged residents to stock up, avoid unnecessary travel and stay indoors as extreme cold moves in. She emphasized risks ranging from hypothermia and frostbite to heart attacks while shoveling and potential power outages, while stressing precautions such as protecting pipes, using heaters safely and checking on vulnerable neighbors. “Five or six minutes outside could literally be dangerous for your health,” Hochul said, noting that hypothermia and frostbite can set in quickly.
Political leaders across the country encouraged people to prepare emergency kits, ensure they have food and medications, and keep vehicle gas tanks full to prevent fuel lines from freezing. States said thousands of utility workers, plows and emergency crews are on standby to restore power and keep major roads passable where possible.
Meteorologists said the brutal cold is tied to a stretched polar vortex — a region of low-pressure, frigid air normally confined to the Arctic that, when disrupted, can send a surge of cold across North America. Some scientists link more frequent disruptions to climate change, though debate continues and natural variability remains a factor.
President Donald Trump questioned the connection between the bitter cold and broader climate trends, posting on Truth Social: “Record Cold Wave expected to hit 40 States. Rarely seen anything like it before. Could the Environmental Insurrectionists please explain — WHATEVER HAPPENED TO GLOBAL WARMING???”
With heavy snow already coating parts of the Great Lakes — including communities along Lake Ontario near Rochester, New York — and ice threats expanding farther south and east, officials urged residents to stay off roads if possible, monitor local forecasts and alerts, and check on neighbors as temperatures plunge.
By Abdiwahab Ahmed
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
