Extreme Cold Warning Issued for 190 Million Across United States
New York : Perilously cold temperatures threatened millions of Americans following a sprawling winter storm that left at least 23 people dead and caused widespread power outages and transportation disruptions.
A frigid, life-threatening Arctic air mass is expected to delay recovery efforts as municipalities from New Mexico to Maine work to clear snow, ice, and debris left by the storm, which brought heavy snow, freezing rain, sleet, and strong winds. The National Weather Service (NWS) warned that much of the northern United States will see temperatures “continuously below freezing through February 1” and noted that “record low temperatures tonight across the South are particularly dangerous in the wake of the weekend winter storm, with many still without power.”
While skies began clearing in some regions, the Northeast continued to experience heavy snowfall, with Connecticut receiving over 22 inches (56 cm) and Boston, Massachusetts, recording more than 16 inches (40.6 cm).
The storm has been linked to at least 23 fatalities, according to state government and media reports, caused by hypothermia and accidents involving traffic, sledding, ATVs, and snowplows. In one instance, a man was found unresponsive in the snow with a shovel in his hand. In New York City, eight additional deaths were reported amid plummeting temperatures, with investigations underway to determine the causes.
Electricity has gradually been restored in parts of the South, but more than 550,000 customers remained without power as of Monday evening, according to Poweroutage.com. States such as Tennessee, Mississippi, and Louisiana — regions less accustomed to severe winter weather — were particularly hard hit.
Approximately 190 million people across the United States are under some form of extreme cold alert, highlighting the ongoing dangers posed by the Arctic blast.
