Polar Vortex Grips U.S.: Millions Brace for Record Winter Storm
A massive winter storm driven by a polar vortex is sweeping across the United States, bringing the coldest temperatures and heaviest snowfall in over a decade. States including Kansas, Arkansas, Kentucky, and Virginia have declared emergencies as the storm moves east, impacting over 60 million people across 30 states from the Plains to the mid-Atlantic.
Severe Weather Alerts and Travel Disruptions
The National Weather Service has issued weather alerts for snow, ice, and severe cold. Airports are facing significant disruptions, with over 1,200 flight delays and 750 cancellations as of Sunday morning. Kansas City International Airport briefly closed due to snow-clearing efforts, delaying flights, including a charter jet carrying the Kansas City Chiefs. Chicago O’Hare and St. Louis Lambert airports are among the hardest hit.
An 18-mile stretch of Interstate 70 in Kansas was shut down, with blizzard conditions expected to bring up to 14 inches of snow and winds gusting at 40 mph. Kansas and Missouri could see historic snowfall of over 15 inches, marking the heaviest precipitation in a decade.
Dangerous Conditions Across the Nation
Blizzard warnings covering Kansas and Missouri alert residents to reduced visibility and dangerous driving conditions. The storm has also sparked severe weather risks in the lower Mississippi Valley, threatening cities like Jackson, Mississippi, and Baton Rouge, Louisiana, with tornadoes, hail, and damaging winds.
Major cities in the mid-Atlantic and Northeast, including Washington, D.C., Baltimore, and Philadelphia, are preparing for snow and ice, with Virginia expecting up to 12 inches. Southern states unaccustomed to freezing conditions, such as Arkansas and Mississippi, are bracing for severe thunderstorms and icy roads.
Arctic Cold Intensifies
As the system moves east, record-low temperatures are forecast for much of the country. The northern Plains will experience the most extreme cold, with lows reaching minus 20°F and wind chills around minus 40°F. Highs across the Midwest and Northeast will plummet 10 to 25 degrees below average, lasting through Friday.
Power outages are widespread, with over 40,000 utility customers without electricity across several states. With significant disruptions expected, officials urge caution and preparedness.
