A significant winter storm persisted across the United States on Sunday morning, bringing sleet, freezing rain, and snow from southern states to New England. The storm resulted in frigid temperatures, widespread power outages, and hazardous road conditions. The U.S. National Weather Service indicated that the ice and snowfall would persist through Monday, with very low temperatures expected to cause lingering “dangerous travel and infrastructure impacts” for several days.
The forecast predicted heavy snow in the Ohio Valley to the northeast, with the potential for “catastrophic ice accumulation” from the Lower Mississippi Valley to the mid-Atlantic and the southeast. Meteorologist Allison Santorelli described the storm as unique due to its extensive reach, affecting areas spanning from New Mexico to New England, covering a distance of about 2,000 miles.
As of Sunday morning, approximately 213 million people were under winter weather warnings, with nearly 840,000 customers experiencing power outages, a number that continued to rise. Seventeen states and the District of Columbia declared weather emergencies, urging Americans to take necessary precautions.
The Department of Energy issued emergency orders to deploy backup generation resources in Texas and the mid-Atlantic region to prevent blackouts. The U.S. National Weather Service warned of prolonged heavy ice accumulation in the southeast, anticipating “crippling to locally catastrophic impacts.” Airlines and grid operators scrambled to prepare, with thousands of flights canceled and delayed. The storm’s aftermath is expected to bring record cold temperatures and icy conditions, prolonging the restoration of power and infrastructure.
In various states, including Mississippi, Texas, Tennessee, Louisiana, and New Mexico, the number of outages continued to rise. The storm’s impact was evident in cities like Nashville, where ice accumulations led to power outages and hazardous conditions. Authorities advised residents to stay indoors and take necessary precautions as the storm’s effects continued to unfold.
