US Winter Storm Update: 1 Million Without Power, More Than 10,000 Flights Cancelled

(MENAFN- Live Mint) A monster winter storm battered much of the United States on Sunday (January 25), dumping heavy snow, sleet and freezing rain across the eastern and southern regions, knocking out power to more than one million customers and triggering widespread travel chaos.

The storm stretched roughly 2,000 miles from New Mexico and Texas to New England, affecting nearly 180 million people - more than half the US population - according to the National Weather Service (NWS).

Power outages surge across multiple states

As of Sunday afternoon, over 1 million homes and businesses were without electricity, according to PowerOutage. Tennessee was the hardest hit, with at least 330,000 customers in the dark, followed by Mississippi and Louisiana with more than 100,000 outages each.

Other affected states included Texas, Kentucky, Georgia, West Virginia and Alabama. Officials warned that ice accumulation - in some areas nearing three-quarters of an inch - weighed down power lines and tree limbs, increasing the risk of prolonged outages.

“This ice that has fallen will keep those lines heavy, even if they haven't gone down immediately,” Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said, warning that restoration efforts could take days or even weeks in some areas.

Flights grounded

The storm caused one of the worst aviation disruptions since COVID-19. More than 10,800 US flights were canceled on Sunday alone, following over 4,000 cancellations on Saturday. From Saturday through Monday, total cancellations exceeded 16,000, according to FlightAware.

Major airports across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic were hit especially hard. Washington's Ronald Reagan National Airport canceled all departing flights, while cancellations topped 90% at LaGuardia Airport and exceeded 80% at JFK, Newark, Philadelphia and Charlotte.

American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Southwest and United each canceled hundreds to thousands of flights as snow and ice made operations unsafe.

Heavy snow, ice and bitter cold to linger

Forecasters said heavy snow would continue from the Ohio Valley into the Northeast, with New England facing up to 18 inches and New York City potentially receiving up to a foot. Parts of the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic were bracing for freezing rain and sleet, worsening road conditions.

Even after precipitation tapers off, temperatures are expected to remain“bitterly cold,” preventing snow and ice from melting quickly and prolonging hazardous travel and infrastructure impacts.

Energy grids under severe strain

The storm placed intense pressure on regional power grids. The US Department of Energy issued emergency orders allowing grid operators in Texas and the mid-Atlantic to deploy backup generation resources and bypass certain regulatory limits to prevent blackouts.

Electricity demand in Texas was expected to approach winter record levels, while wholesale power prices surged across parts of the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast. New England relied heavily on oil-fired power generation as natural gas prices spiked amid the cold snap.

Emergency declarations and federal response

Calling the storm“historic,” President Donald Trump approved federal emergency disaster declarations for more than a dozen states, including Tennessee, Georgia, South Carolina, Virginia, Mississippi, Louisiana and Kentucky.

Seventeen states and Washington, DC, declared weather emergencies. FEMA pre-positioned supplies, personnel and rescue teams across multiple regions in anticipation of prolonged outages and dangerous conditions.

Also Read | Over 10,500 flights cancelled on January 25 as massive winter storm hits US

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