US winter storm forces cancellation of thousands of flights and cuts power

A severe winter storm system has triggered widespread travel paralysis and power outages across the United States, forcing the cancellation of thousands of flights and leaving more than a hundred thousand customers without electricity. The hazardous weather brought heavy snow, sleet, and freezing rain across a path extending from the southern Rocky Mountains to New England, threatening nearly half the United States population, according to warnings issued by the National Weather Service (NWS). Federal emergency disaster declarations were approved for multiple states, including South Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina, Maryland, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Indiana, and West Virginia, as local authorities urged residents to shelter in place and prepare for prolonged utility disruptions. Seventeen states and the District of Columbia declared weather emergencies, according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

President Donald Trump called the storm historic and stated that the administration would continue to monitor and stay in touch with all states in the path of the storm, writing in a post on Truth Social. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem noted that utility teams were working to restore service to tens of thousands of people in affected southern states who had lost power, while urging residents to stock up on fuel and food.

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Aviation analytics firm Cirium reported that Sunday flight cancellations reached the highest single-day total since the COVID-19 pandemic, with FlightAware tracking platforms indicating that more than 4,000 flights scheduled for Saturday were grounded alongside upwards of 9,000 services originally set for Sunday. JetBlue confirmed the cancellation of approximately one thousand flights through Monday, while Delta Air Lines implemented rolling schedule adjustments across East Coast hubs including Boston and New York City, relocating experts from cold weather hubs to support de-icing and baggage teams at several southern airports.

Power outages mounted as temperatures plunged well below freezing in traditionally mild regions. PowerOutage.com data showed that more than 130,000 customers lost electricity, with the heaviest concentrations reported in Texas and Louisiana. In Dallas, temperatures dropped to minus six degrees Celsius, while utility crews battled hazardous road conditions caused by black ice and sleet. Houston Mayor John Whitmire urged residents to hunker down, advising people to be where they need to be for the designated period. In Oklahoma and Arkansas, some spots recorded significant snow accumulation on the ground, according to the NWS.

Meteorologist Jacob Asherman of the US Weather Prediction Center in Maryland described the system as a mean storm, noting it was the biggest storm so far the season in terms of intensity and scope. Life-threatening wind-chill readings plunged dramatically in central states, with forecasters warning that exposure to such cold without proper clothing can lead to hypothermia very quickly. The worst damage was predicted for parts of southern Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee, where ice was likely to coat tree limbs, power lines, and roadways.

As the severe weather system tracks toward the heavily populated mid-Atlantic and northeastern states, local officials continue to enforce travel restrictions. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani urged residents to stay inside if possible, while in New Jersey, Governor Mikie Sherrill announced restrictions on commercial vehicle travel and a set speed limit on highways.

Recovery efforts and utility restoration will depend on how quickly freezing temperatures recede, with forecasters warning that lingering ice and sub-zero wind chills will maintain hazardous travel conditions across the affected regions.