In brief
The United States is preparing for an extremely dangerous winter storm that will affect over 200 million residents starting Friday. With heavy snowfall and freezing temperatures predicted, authorities have declared states of emergency in several regions, warning of significant travel disruptions and hazardous conditions. Major cities like Memphis, Nashville, and New York are expected to experience the brunt of the storm, with snowfall accumulating up to 17 inches in some areas. As officials mobilize to mitigate the impact, citizens are urged to stay home and stock up on essentials amidst the expected chaos.
More than 200 million Americans are expected to face an unusually brutal winter storm starting Friday, with heavy snows and freezing rains forecast.
The storm is expected to sweep through much of the United States, leaving extremely dangerous conditions in its wake as it tracks eastwards from the High Plains and Rockies, the National Weather Service (NWS) said.
It warned that the Arctic blast will bring sub-zero temperatures and wind chills, which pose a life-threatening risk of hypothermia and frostbite to exposed skin.
US transportation officials, including airport authorities in several major cities, have warned of weekend travel disruption, delays and cancellations.
What is the storm's predicted path?
The winter storm is forecast to move slowly across the US, blanketing cities including Memphis, Nashville, Washington DC, Baltimore, Philadelphia and New York with snow.
Heavy snow is predicted through the Southern Rockies and Plains, into the Mid-Atlantic and reaching the Northeast.
According to the NWS Probabilistic Precipitation Portal, the regions that could see more than a foot of snow stretch from Colorado to West Virginia to Boston.
Parts of northeast New Jersey and southeast New York, including New York City, could see between 10 and 14 inches of snow starting early on Sunday and lasting through Monday, the NWS predicts. And wind chills as low as -10F (-23C) are expected for the same region from Friday evening to Saturday afternoon, the service says.
Most of southern New England, including Boston, can expect between 12 and 17 inches of snow and wind gusts up to 30mph from Sunday into Monday, NWS says. Wind chill temperatures there could reach -15F (-26C) Friday into Saturday.
Governors in several US states, including Arkansas, Georgia, Texas, North Carolina, South Carolina, have declared states of emergency, allowing emergency officials - including National Guard troops - to begin mobilising response efforts.
In a press conference on Friday, New York Governor Kathy Hochul said the state has over 1,600 snow plows and 114,000 tonnes of salt on hand for the storm.
Abbott emphasized that this storm is expected to be handled differently from the major storm in 2021, which caused widespread power outages and disruptions.
As of now, more than 3,200 flights have already been cancelled for Saturday, along with over 4,800 for Sunday due to the storm's impending wrath.
As Canadians brace for similar conditions, the freezing temperatures and projected snowfall call for preparedness across the northeastern parts of the continent.
As the NWS Weather Prediction Center warns, this frigid weather is expected to linger into next week, proving this storm to be one for the record books.
