A widespread arctic chill gripping the nation from coast to coast is set to unleash a barrage of winter woes, including blizzards, flooding, gusty winds, and perilous ice, affecting over 200 Americans as temperatures plummet below freezing.
Winter Storm Heather, having already spawned storms with winds reaching 70 mph in the South, is anticipated to intensify, unleashing snow in the region for the first time this winter, accompanied by winds of 10 to 25 mph. These conditions pose a frostbite risk to exposed skin in just 30 minutes, particularly in the South where the most severe arctic air is yet to arrive.
Cities like New Orleans are bracing for subfreezing temperatures this week, and the frigid conditions are expected to persist before sweeping into the mid-Atlantic and Northeast by late Tuesday, according to CNN. Hazards such as black ice, treacherous roads, and vulnerable exposed pipes are anticipated.
The winter storm has already left a deadly impact in Portland, Oregon, an area more accustomed to wintery rain. Three deaths attributed to the snow were reported on Saturday, including one from hypothermia and two resulting from falling trees. Local officials declared a weather emergency, opening severe weather shelters for the homeless.
States across the country, from New York to Louisiana, have declared states of emergency in anticipation of the severe weather, with emergency shelters being established.
Buffalo is set to experience lake-effect snow, a phenomenon caused by cold winds over warm lake water, while New York City could see temperatures in the 20s next week. Emergency evacuations have taken place in Paterson, New Jersey, due to rising river levels.
The chilling weather has prompted rare and “life-threatening” cold warnings in St Louis, leading to whiteouts in parts of the Upper Midwest. The frigid conditions have also affected campaign events in Iowa, where temperatures as low as minus 30s were forecast.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has urged residents to prepare for icy conditions, with the state’s grid operator expecting increased demand throughout January 17. Significant snowfall is anticipated in Arkansas and several regions in Tennessee, including Memphis, Nashville, and Knoxville.
Chicago has already experienced heavy snowfall, coupled with wind gusts up to 50 mph and wind chills as low as minus 15 degrees F, prompting frostbite concerns. A cold-related death was reported in Cook County, marking the first such fatality of the season.
As the frigid weather extends across the Rockies and the Plains, and heavy rain lashes the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, concerns about river and coastal flooding heighten. The nation braces for a challenging week under the grip of Winter Storm Heather.
