A massive winter storm sweeping across large parts of the United States has turned deadly, shutting down travel, cutting electricity to hundreds of thousands, and burying cities under heavy snow. The U.S. winter storm turns deadly, grounding flights and leaving thousands without electricity, as brutal conditions stretched from Texas all the way to Maine.
Over the weekend, the storm unleashed chaos nationwide. Highways became impassable, power lines snapped under the weight of ice and snow, and airports struggled to operate as blizzard-like conditions took hold. In some parts of the Northeast, snowfall topped 20 inches within just 24 hours, according to the National Weather Service.
The impacts were felt beyond U.S. borders as well. Canadian officials reported severe disruption in southern Ontario, while eastern Canada’s Maritime provinces are bracing for continued snowfall into Tuesday, according to BBC Weather. Although the main system is gradually moving away from the U.S., lake-effect snow is expected to linger around the Great Lakes through the rest of the week.
Meanwhile, a deep freeze continues to grip central and eastern North America. Forecasters warn conditions could worsen again by the weekend, with another significant winter storm potentially targeting the eastern United States.
Travel Chaos and Power Outages
Air travel was among the hardest hit. On Monday alone, more than 6,000 U.S. flights were canceled and over 7,000 were delayed, according to FlightAware, leaving travelers stranded nationwide.
On the ground, the storm triggered widespread power outages. More than 500,000 customers were without electricity early Tuesday, based on data from PowerOutage.com. Tennessee was among the worst-affected states, with Nashville plunged into freezing temperatures and darkness.
“There are many trees down and power lines blocking the roads,” said Joy Flores, vice president of the Nashville Rescue Mission homeless shelter. Her organization received urgent calls from residents who had lost power. Flores described roads as dangerously icy and said even her own home was without heat, internet, or basic comforts.
Rising Death Toll Across States
Tragically, the storm has claimed lives across multiple states. In Texas, a teenage girl died and another teen was critically injured in a sledding accident, according to police in Frisco. In North Carolina, authorities are investigating whether a man found dead along a highway succumbed to weather-related conditions.
Louisiana health officials confirmed two deaths linked to hypothermia. Farther north, New York City reported eight deaths between Friday and Monday morning as temperatures plunged. Central Park recorded more than 11 inches of snow by Monday, city officials said.
Additional fatalities have been reported in states including Massachusetts, Kansas, and Pennsylvania. By Monday evening, at least 20 deaths had been associated with the extreme cold and snowfall, though officials cautioned that investigations into exact causes are still ongoing.
Canada Also Hit Hard
In Canada, Ottawa and Quebec experienced some of the storm’s most severe effects, leading to transportation disruptions and school closures. Toronto Pearson International Airport recorded 18 inches of snow on Sunday — the highest single-day snowfall ever documented at the site, according to CBC.
More Trouble Ahead
Relief may be short-lived. The National Weather Service warned that the likelihood of another winter storm is increasing later this week. If it materializes, it could bring dangerously cold temperatures and widespread heavy precipitation across the eastern U.S.
Forecasters stressed that it is still too early to determine the storm’s exact track or which regions would face the worst impacts. For now, millions across North America remain on alert as winter shows no signs of letting up.
