A massive winter storm knocked out power to over a million people and crippled travel nationwide Sunday, slamming states from Texas to New England.
The National Weather Service (NWS) warned that the system, which it described as “historic” in scale, would continue moving across the eastern two-thirds of the country into the week and would continue bringing heavy snow, freezing rain, and dangerously low temperatures. In an official advisory, the NWS cautioned that hazardous conditions could persist for several days and urged residents to avoid unnecessary travel.
By Sunday afternoon, PowerOutage.us reported that over 1,005,000 customers remained without power, with Tennessee hit hardest. Outages were also severe in Mississippi, Texas, Louisiana, Kentucky, Georgia, Virginia, and Alabama. Emergency services are responding as the blackout continues.
Forecasters expected heavy snow from the Ohio Valley to the Northeast, and ice storms in parts of the South and Mid-Atlantic, affecting areas from New Mexico to New England.
President Donald Trump approved federal emergency declarations as nearly 20 states and the District of Columbia declared weather emergencies. “We will continue to monitor and stay in touch with all states in the path of this storm. Stay safe, and stay warm,” he posted on Truth Social.
Air travel ground to a halt, with more than 10,000 flights abruptly cancelled and thousands more delayed, according to FlightAware. Airlines are warning passengers to prepare for last-minute changes as conditions deteriorate.
Federal agencies mobilized in response. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) deployed supplies, personnel, and rescue teams to affected states, while Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem urged Americans to stock up on essentials. “It’s going to be very, very cold,” she said, stressing the need for fuel and food reserves as crews worked to restore power.
The Department of Energy issued an emergency order allowing PJM Interconnection, a major grid operator, to bypass certain restrictions to stabilize the electricity supply in the Mid-Atlantic.
Authorities warned that extreme cold could persist for a week after the storm, particularly in the Northern Plains and Upper Midwest, where wind chills could plunge to -50°F (-45°C), posing a severe frostbite risk. Meteorologists attribute the storm to a disrupted polar vortex. This is a mass of frigid air from the Arctic that, when stretched, can spill across North America. Scientists suggest that climate change may be contributing to the increasing frequency of such events.
