A major snowstorm blanketed a vast area of the United States today, stretching from the northeast to Texas. U.S. officials warned temperatures would drop to dangerous levels in the coming days, disrupting daily life.
"Snow and ice impacts will extend into next week," the National Weather Service (NWS) stated, adding that "freezing conditions make roads slippery and hazardous for driving and walking."
Over 700,000 U.S. consumers lost power, according to the Power Outage website. Most outages occurred in the southern region, where the storm began on 24/1. This included about 250,000 customers in Tennessee and over 100,000 in each of Texas, Mississippi, and Louisiana.
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A person walks a bicycle through a snowstorm in Philadelphia, U.S. on 25/1. Photo: AP |
A person walks a bicycle through a snowstorm in Philadelphia, U.S. on 25/1. Photo: AP
At least 20 states and Washington D.C. declared states of emergency. Officials in Texas, North Carolina, and New York advised residents to stay home due to dangerous weather.
Major airports in Washington, Philadelphia, and New York suspended nearly all flights. Flightaware reported 4,000 cancellations on 24/1 and 10,000 on 25/1.
"We will continue to monitor and stay in contact with all states affected by the storm. Please stay safe and warm," U.S. President Donald Trump said.
The NWS warned that thick ice "could cause prolonged power outages, severe tree damage, and make travel extremely hazardous or impassable."
U.S. officials stated that life-threatening cold could persist for a week after the storm, especially in the northern plains and Midwest. Wind chill temperatures there could drop to an extreme -45 degrees C, causing frostbite in minutes.
This dangerous storm resulted from a stretched polar vortex, a mass of cold, low-pressure Arctic air. While typically compact and circular, it can sometimes deform into an oval, allowing cold air to spill across North America.
Scientists suggest climate change may be causing this phenomenon to occur more frequently, though it remains a subject of debate.
Nguyen Tien (According to AFP, AP, Reuters)
